In Love and War
by Ruthless Toothless
Summary: Draco and Pansy Fic. DracoPansy.Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson are like two peas in a pod. Like Signs usually repel but when they collide, they collide hard. Draco Pansy
1. This is how You remind Me

**IN LOVE AND WAR**  
DISCLAIMER:  
C'mon. Make yourselves useful. Obviously, none of the characters are my own so as much as I would like to generate money from this, I cant.  
  


* * *

  
Chapter 1  
**  
PANSY  
  
Today will be a new day.  
**I looked into the mirror one last time before I headed out of my room to meet Mother and Father out in the carriage. This year is my last in Hogwarts and I am determined more than ever to make this my best year in school. Though, words cannot describe how much I despise that place ---wanting to get out all these years because of the endless homework, the countless hours of potion classes with those grubby Gryffindor Mudblood lovers and going out on the cold just to listen to that pea-brained giant, Hagrid and his atrocious monsters --- I find myself quite attached to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The memories of the late night gossiping that Millicent and I shared since first year laughing till we were in tears when we came up with brilliant ideas to make Hermione Granger's life a living hell caused a smile to creep through my face. Oh and of course, who could forget the catchy tune, "Weasley is Our King?"   
  


_I should get at least a few Galleons for the royalties to the song now that those unexciting little Gryffindors use it to encourage that excuse of a Keeper they have,_ I thought as my smile eroded to my usual smirk. 

  
Another set of flashbacks came into my mind. The time when I carried about a notion that life at Hogwarts didn't seem much of a waste. It was the day Draco Malfoy asked me to the Yule Ball. 

  
The voices in my head debated that the only reason he was asking me to the ball was because he had nobody else to go with and all that mattered to him was his obsession of beating Harry Potter in whatever game they played. But like every other person sorted into Salazar Slytherin's house of the rich and snotty, I was a very convincing liar even to myself.   
  
**But today will be a new day.**  
  
I dusted my robe one last time before stepping out of my door that would conclude my summer and start my 7th year in Hogwarts.   
  
"I expect that you to do better than last year, Pansy, " my father spoke loud and clear as he always did for the past seven years. "A Parkinson is never mediocre."  
  
"Yes, Father," I answered mechanically as I stepped into the big black family carriage and took the seat next to my mother.  
  
"Are you still friends with Lucius' son?" he asked with his expression as solid as a rock and his eyes full of concern for the matter. I looked at him with the same hard expression but made sure my eyes were full of, not concern, but every bit of disdain that I could conjure up.   
My father worshipped the Malfoy Family; it was sickening. Lucius Malfoy is my father's best friend and is the very man my father wanted to be. My father dressed liked him, stood like him, talked like him, and would often criticize Mother for being not being the woman that Narcissa Malfoy is. Mother, who was as submissive as all the well respected pureblooded wives in the upper class, would just look at him, not uttering a word. Not that I cared about what my mother felt… if my mother or even my father had any emotions at all.  
  
"Yes, Father. Draco, I believe, is still within my circle of friends."  
  
"You believe?" Father shifted his gaze to me, bothered by my remark.   
  
I could not stand it any longer. I have to speak up. Sod this for a lark if my father can't take it.  
  
"Does it matter, Father, if we didn't converse with each other? To tell you honestly, talking to the boy is like listening to a horrible song day after day." This was a lie but it was a very effective way to tick my father off.  
  
I felt my mother tense up as my father's face turned a darker shade. Sinister guffaws ringed inside my head. I have succeeded.   
  
"You shall never answer in such a manner. It is very unbecoming of a lady in the upper class. YOU have to remember that YOU are a Parkinson and should be ever so grateful to be born with such a privilege," he said slowly but with a great deal of imposition. "You WILL be in a constant friendship with Lucius' son as I have instructed. It will do our family good. Am I clear on that?"   
  
It was almost too funny that he threatened me. All his words stuck to me like glue to rubber, bouncing off me as soon as they came. **_I am to marry a rich, pureblooded upper classman that is within the Slytherin house. I am to never slouch, but expected to walk with perfect posture and delicacy. I am to never answer a man with assumption of equality._** **_ Naffing chauvinistic sexist little nobs. They all are. _**

**_  
_**I wanted to spit on my father's rock hard face but my good breeding and the realization that my desire to do so is futile and detrimental to my interests called me to answer to what my father has instructed me to do. Besides, a Parkinson never disappoints.  
  
"Yes, Father. I apologize." **_Ha. So much for "Eat Shit, Father", eh Pansy?_** **_   
_**  
"You are forgiven. Let no one say I am unjust to my offsprings," he replied before diverting his stare to the trees that our carriage was passing through swiftly.  
  
  
  
  
**DRACO  
  
**It was only a matter of minutes before my Father's black carriage brought me to Platform 9 ¾. It has been to my disposal since my Father has been delivered to Azkaban. I suppose my father has been foolish for being a bit… overly zealous in serving the Dark Lord. Don't get me wrong. My father was an ambitious man and everything he did had a certain price. Lord Voldemort has been very good at tickling my father's delusions of grandeur, making my father at his command, even to the point of death. The Dark Lord and my Father shared love-hate relationship; for as powerful as Voldemort was, he didn't have a human form to continue on his mission to cleanse the Wizarding world of Muggle blood and my father needed to cling to the most powerful person he could think of. Neither of them really cared for each other's beliefs or welfare, but both saw each other as beneficial to themselves. During the nights when my father perceived me asleep, I had chanced on seeing him look at the Dark Mark with hate then fall down on his knees a few seconds after, clutching the Mark that illuminated in the dark room.   
  
I glanced at my reflection in mirror and was stunned with the similarities I had with my father. Was I really like him? Was my fate to be sealed without a choice? I have not received the Dark Mark myself but everyone knew that it was to happen. I was the Son of the Dark Lord's right hand man. If the Kiss was to be given to my father, I was to take his place in Lord Voldemort's little circle.   
  
"I expect you to do as well as last year, Draco," my father once said to me, before I stepped inside the carriage. "A Malfoy is never mediocre"   
  
"Yes, Father," I answered earnestly, devouring every word my father told me.   
  
I never really came up to his standards as much as I tried to please him. To my father, I was only second best. 

Never to be as good as Harry Potter. Even as much as it burned to him say that his own flesh and blood was lesser than that half-blood boy wonder, he failed to recognize that I exceeded that ingrate in almost everything if that old nut Dumbledore didn't favor Potty Scar Face too much.

  
"A Malfoy never disappoints," I whispered, not realizing that I have been biting my lower lip as I did in my thoughts.  
  
I stared across the room irritably, deafened by the noise around the Great Hall, particularly those coming from the Gryffindor table. It's the first day of the day of school and I am surrounded by all their annoying cheers, their fake little pleasantries, Harry Potter and his nice little friends. I am getting rather tired of the year by year scenario. Six years of this maddening noise was enough reason for a man to declare himself, legally insane.**_   
  
Just one more year, Draco. Just one more bleeding year._**  
  
Losing interest in my breakfast, I pushed the golden plate away from me. Both Crabbe and Goyle divided my food among themselves almost automatically as I pressed my fingers between my eyes and slowly slid them down the bridge of my nose, giving it a bit of a massage to prevent an oncoming migraine from building. **_Bloody uncivilized Gryffindor twits. Can't eat without making such a huge commotion, can they?_** My breathing was gaining speed rapidly and my nostrils were starting to flare under my fingers that keep trying to soothe my headache.

"She'll grow to love the tender roses, Lilies fair, the iris tall..." the Mudblood read aloud with her know-it-all voice from across the room, with her nose stuck in a book that was bigger than her head.   
  
"Filthy girl, don't get too attached. For I shall come and kill them all..." another girl continued slyly then letting out an evil snicker, breaking my thoughts and rooting me to smile. The remark was all too familiar that I knew right on that second who it was.  
  
Pansy Parkinson sat next to me as usual, shoving Goyle over. I turned to my right and watched her laugh animatedly with Millicent Bullstrode and Blaise Zabini, who were sitting in front of us, both bursting in laughter while throwing sinister glances at Hermione Granger.  
  
"Amazing," her eyebrow arched the same way her lips did in one side. "You'd think for someone that claims to have knowledge and curiosity coming out their arse, she'd be able to realize that her hair is a complete disaster. That thing on her should be reported to the Daily Prophet to make sure it didn't have any casualties and----what is your deal, Malfoy? Do I have something unpleasant in my face?"   
  
All of the noise and my blood drained down my face as I realized how long I've been practically gawking at her and that I have been caught off guard.  
  
"Oh," I stammered, trying to come up with a good excuse for the situation. "If there was something unpleasant in your face, I would make it a point of making you aware."   
  
"Of course, why would Draco Malfoy pass up chance to make poke fun of somebody else?" she spat back, misunderstanding my explanation. "Now, if there is nothing that you need to tell me, I need to go back to the common room to prepare for my classes. C'mon, Blaise, Millicent. I fear I have lost my appetite." She darted a commanding look at the two girls who immediately gathered themselves and followed Pansy out the Great Hall.  
  
"Must be that time of the month," Adrian Pucey spoke upon witnessing what has just happened.  
  


"What time of the month?" Goyle muttered between chomps.  
  
"Something that your uncomplicated mind will never be able comprehend," I said blandly. "And I'd rather you speak when you're mouth is not full because the sound of the half masticated cow in your mouth is really not of my fancy."  
  
"Girls," Crabbe trailed off without looking up from his plate, shocking myself and the rest of the male population of the Slytherin table.   
  
"Neither is the thought of any girl who would come to terms with you," I smirked, appalled at the mental image of Vincent Crabbe getting all mushy with Millicent Bullstrode. It just wasn't right.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**  
Well, its finally up. Special thanks to Mayhem Mea and Jesser for proof reading my fic in between hell week in school.


	2. Draco is From Mars, Pansy is From Venus

  
**CHAPTER 2 **

The Slytherin Common Room was filled with buzzing sounds as most of the students got back from their classes at the end of the day. Most of the first years were in their rooms, exhausted to boot and still trying to adjust to their new environment; while the rest of them were scattered into small little groups, doing their own thing. The dark emerald couch that was situated in front of the majestic fireplace was the best place in the room with an unspoken rule bestowed upon it. The couch was only to be used by those who are privileged and respected in the Slytherin House. For people like Pansy, Blaise, and Millicent, they had the opportunity of enjoying the warmth of the fire, talking about how their summers went just to pass away time while they waited for sleep to arrive.

"Mother insisted on going to Paris last summer, Blaise said before blowing her nails and continued on filing them. "They have the most beautiful dress robes. Mother tells me that if I am to marry a suitable man, I had to be presentable as not to disgrace my husband." 

Millicent shifted nervously. "My Mother and Father are worried. If I don't find a suitable husband by the end of the school year, they will have no choice but to arrange and most possibly, negotiate a marriage for me."

"Negotiate?" Pansy asked, thinking of how absurd the idea was. "We are not things to be bartered or traded, nor are we gifts to be given to ill-gutted males as though we are ornaments. We are women of good lineage, descendants of the Best and Wealthiest Slytherin Families for centuries. We will not allow ourselves to sit in a house and knit little sweaters or follow our husbands like little puppy dogs after years of inhuman homework, being elbow to elbow with those filthy Mudbloods during classes and enduring the horrible teachers in this school!"  
  
The flames from the fireplaces were clearly reflected in the two girls who listened attentively to Pansy, excited by the almost rebellious theme. At such a young age, they were brought up to believe that their purpose in life was to marry rich and to produce an heir to continue on the legacy of their male dominated society. Pansy's idea sounded daft. Neither of them knew whether it was lunacy or brilliance, but the different point of view felt sweet on the ears. 

As though coming out of the air, a blonde boy threw himself in between Pansy and Millicent, making Millicent drop the cookie she was nibbling. He was then followed by 2 two boulder-shaped boys who crushed Blaise between them like cheese and two loaves of bread. 

"Crikey," Millicent squeezed her way out slowly to reach for the pieces of the cookie down the green carpet. 

"Urgh. Bullstrode. Have another cookie. That's not very sanitary, Draco whined, leaning towards Pansy as Millicent made her way out. "Cross that out. If you have another one, you won't be able to fit back into this couch."

Crabbe and Goyle chuckled in chorus while Millicent looked at her cookie hesitantly before throwing it out the garbage. 

Draco raised his feet on the silver center table, sliding from his seat a little. "And while youre at it, Bullstrode, would you give me a foot massage? All this walking because of this Head Boy business made me feel like I've walked from Hogsmeade and back. Come on, think of it was a first day welcome back gift." He smiled like a Cheshire cat, winking flirtatiously at the girl. 

"How would you like a black eye and a swelling bum for your second day welcome back gift?" Pansy threatened, her stony brown eyes looking at Draco's silver ones. 

"I don't remember asking your opinion, woman," Draco hissed, standing up in anger.

"I don't remember waiting for your approval," Pansy answered back, now on her feet as well, fingering her wand dangerously inside her robe pocket. Blaise, Millicent, Crabbe, and Goyle moved aside, not wanting to get caught in the crossfire that was about to take place.

"A proper woman should know to hold her tongue in a presence of a man!" he shouted angrily, pulling out his wand, pointing it at Pansy. 

Pansy took out her wand instantly and pointed it at Draco almost as fast as he did. "My mouth is something that even all of your money cannot purchase! I will say whatever I like when I feel like it whether it is in a presence of a man or not!"

Both wands were shaking at their owners' hands, warming up and ready to hex at any second. Blaise and Millicent ran to Pansy's side and seized out their wands while Crabbe and Goyle kept their place next to Malfoy doing the same. The rest of the room, now fully aware of the event, divided themselves by gender into two groups, the males standing behind Draco and the females behind Pansy.

"Without us men, you women have no purpose," Draco spat out, still keeping his wand pointed at Pansy. "You have no one to serve, no one to produce for and no one to answer to."

"Without us women, you men have no direction," Pansy spat back. "You have nothing to eat, nothing to wear and nothing to call upon to!"

"That's what house elves are for!" Goyle called out and hoots of triumph from the male side were heard.

"Then why don't you marry them instead!" the usually shy Blaise exclaimed, surprising Pansy and Millicent.

"Do you presume we have to be House Elves ourselves to marry one?" Crabbe asked, scratching his head while the thought swam in his not-so-developed brain. 

"Err.. blimey. I don't know," Goyle answered, looking a bit perturbed. 

Draco rolled his eyes in disbelief. After all these years, the chance of Crabbe and Goyle having a decent sense of logic has never been farther than this moment.

"Cream of the crop, the two of you," Pansy snorted, making the rest of the girls to erupt in laughter.

"Laugh if you will, ladies. Let's see who'll be crying and begging us to come back to buy you your roses and little chocolates!" Malcolm Baddock quipped from behind.

"The only people who will be doing the begging will be you lot, when you've got no one to copy your notes from!" another girl, Soleil de Pardieu declared.

"Ladies, tell us, who will catch the frogs you'll need for transfiguration?" Brice Butteringer posed a question that appeared very much more like a challenge to the girls.

"Face it, Parkinson," Draco uttered darkly, regaining his reason." Women are weak, just like you. Can't even stand being mad at me for more than a minute!" Malfoy said, half-smiling, half-smirking while slowly placing his wand back in his pocket, assuming his victory.

"And on the contrary, Malfoy," Pansy rebutted, "I am not the one who lowered my wand first! You did!"

Draco faced hardened, storming towards the stairs that lead to the boy's dormitory, grabbing Crabbe and Goyle by the robe. His anger was rising up in him again as the realization dawned upon him that he has just been outwitted---by a girl. 

"This--- isn't over, Pansy!" he stopped halfway through the staircase with the rest of the male population trailing his steps with the same fury. "When all is said and done, you will eat your words till they make you sick!"

"Not unless you eat your words first, MALFOY!" Pansy shouted, stomping towards the opposite direction, followed by Millicent, Blaise and rest of the girls.

"Fine!" Draco voiced echoed unto the concave ceilings.

"Fine!" Pansy retorted with the equal force in her voice.

"FINE!" was the deafening last words from both men and women inside the Slytherin House before entering their respective dormitories.

  
**PANSY**

"Men!!!!" I exclaimed frustratingly before muffling my scream with my pillow as soon as I flopped down my bed. "Can't they just accept that they need us to justify their pathetic, mundane existence?"

Blaise and Millicent sat on their beds quietly and I immediately knew they were terrified at the things they had just done. Once our parents found out about what had just happened, I was almost sure that we all were to get Howlers tomorrow morning, mine being the loudest, of course. Not only did I insult a man in public but I insulted a Malfoy. If news reached my father, I'd find myself chained to my bedpost without a week's meal faster than the Hogwarts Express could bring me home. **_That's it Pansy, you'll really get yourself killed by Father this time._**

I looked at my roommates' faces. They weren't really good at keeping their thoughts to themselves. 

"Father will surely disown me now," Millicent whimpered softly.   
**_Oh great. Dammit. _**

"Pull yourself together, Bullstrode. Don't you dare say you didn't enjoy the look on Malfoy's face when I offered him a black eye and a swollen bum," I grinned, in the hopes of getting their fire back.

I looked at Blaise for backup but she was still shivering from the experience. I glanced back at Millicent whom to my relief, was grinning back besides the tears she was wiping from her cheeks. "Asking me to massage his feet, that bastard. I am a woman of lineage and ambition. HE should be massaging my feet!" 

Blaise suddenly came alive as though a switch was flicked open. "We will not tolerate being treated as though we are the same level as that Mudblood Granger and the rest of those unsophisticated dirty bloods." 

I sat up quickly and looked at them earnestly. "We are Slytherin women. We were chosen by the same ruddy hat, are we not? We are as deserving to be in this house as the men are and we shall refuse to become mere objects of lust and substitute for boredom! Spread the word to the girls. This will be a new year for the Slytherins. This is the year Draco Malfoy wished he didn't get in the way of Lady Pansy Parkinson!"

  
**DRACO**

"Bloody women!" I threw my hands in the air exasperatedly. "All over you one moment then ready to hex you on the next! They're all nutters, the lot of them." _**How dare that woman humiliate me in front of the whole House like that, making me as though I was as dim-witted as Crabbe and Goyle. I paced around the room uneasily. **_

"Wait till our parents hear about this!" Goyle grabbed his quill and a piece of parchment, itching to owl his Father. 

"No. Don't!" I took hold of Goyle's hand quickly. 

"No?" Crabbe repeated, astonished.

"Can't you see? That's exactly what they want us to do. Run to our mummies for help, thus proving their point that they're the stronger sex."

Crabbe and Goyle stared at me for a moment; their minds seemed to be ticking for once.

"But why are we not writing to our mums again?"

"Why on Merlin's hat did I even bother explaining things to you two?" I sighed. 

**_Note to Self: Don't EVER entertain impossibility of finding anything remotely close to intelligence in Crabbe and Goyle._**

"Just tell the rest of us not to owl their parents. If the girls want a war, then by Salazar Slytherin's name, they shall get one!"

"Yeah!" Crabbe and Goyle yelled in unison.

"What are you waiting for? Go around the dormitories! We are the heirs and the future of the upper class wizarding families and we will not be beaten by the very women who are supposed to granting our every whim! This is the year Pansy Parkinson wished she didn't get in the way of the Amazing Draco Malfoy!"

  



	3. Ofcourse you know, this means war

**CHAPTER 3 **

Harry Potter leaned a little to his left to avoid Ron's head to get a better view of the Slytherin table. There was something bizarre going on and Harry couldn't finger point which was it exactly.

"Ron," he whispered to the red-haired boy that was sitting in front of him. "Is it me or are the Slytherins trying to be more organized than before?"

Ron Weasley turned around to check what could be bothering Harry that much. "Well, the girls are on one side, and the boys are on the opposite side. It's probably just a coincidence Harry. Besides, there aren't a lot of people in the table yet," he mumbled nonchalantly and went back to his breakfast.

"Yes, but do you remember them scowling at each other?" Harry wondered, still moving his head in different directions to inspect the action from his seat. 

Harry's remark caught Ron's attention. This was definitely something he wanted to see. "Scowling? It's second nature to them, yes, but at each other?"

* * *

**  
  
PANSY**

I was going to be late for breakfast, but my twenty strokes per side requirement for brushing my hair was just halfway done. If Draco Malfoy wanted a war, then he's going to have it. But, I sure am not going to war looking like an injury already. What we have done was a feat for the women of Slytherin, so I don't blame the girls on reacting with such fervor. We woke up this morning, still half fearing the massive deployment of howlers, but with the excitement that could have been witnessed before a Quidditch Match match. 

I sent a first year to sneak into the Great Hall to see whether we had to ready ourselves or not. She came back notifying us that none of the boys had owled their parents, much to the relief of the older girls. But I wasn't surprised. It was a typical Draco route.   
  
**_You can't sweet talk your way out, mate. Not this time._**

"This is the end of testosterone driven way of life." I declared in the hallways, as I lead the other girls to the Great Hall. "If the boys want their goodies then they should learn to work for it!" 

  
The girls clapped their hands loudly as I held my chin up, my nose sticking up as high as I could and sealed it with my trademark smirk; putting my game face on. 

I reached the big doorway of the Great Hall and spotted the empty seat in front of Draco. Smiling inwardly, I reasserted my smirk and walked towards the spot with all the grace and poise that my Mother has taught me, and all the pride and arrogance I acceded from my Father. 

"Is this seat taken?" I inquired with my most devious voice, pointing the question at Draco. 

He stood up from his seat slowly and curtsied mockingly. "Thy seat hast been in thou ownership before you didst requested it."

**  
_A few more minutes and I'll job this snotty bloke's teeth out._**

"And how could a mere woman hast been granted such immense dispensation?" 

"It is my pleasure, as it is with the members of my able-bodied side of the table," Draco gestured his hand to his right and left, as though to present the male side of the table.

"Able bodies," I took my seat and flicked my table napkin open before laying it on my lap. "With such clean and proper table manners, I can see." 

Crabbe and Goyle straightened themselves out, after I noticed Draco nudge them under the table.

"Slept well, I presume?" Draco continued, not flinching and keeping his cool.

"Like a rock," I answered defiantly. 

"Comical that you should mention that, with all the multi-colored cement that you put on your faces every night to call our attention," he said, going for his attack. 

The breathing of the table noticeably rapid and audible at each side of the table. The muffled and held back snarls lingered between the opposite sides.  
"Especially mine-- Is not that right, Lady Parkinson?" he added, biting his lower lip menacingly.

My eyes widened in shock in his blatant remark, and then shrank into slits in anger. 

**_A Parkinson is never gullible._**  
  
"Master Malfoy," I breathed out, trying to eliminate my premature want to strangle him. "How presumptuous of you to think that we beautify ourselves for the sake of luring creatures of enormous mental incapacity." 

I managed to calm down a bit and draw out a rebuttal. "All we need to do is pull the oldest trick out of Merlin's hat and you will be jumping inside hoops like a trained animal.

"And, contrary to the popular belief, the OLD schoolgirl infatuation has long been buried, 7 feet underground." I felt my upper lip tremble, as much as my fingers. Never have I felt as provoked and humiliated like this in my entire life. 

**_You're going to regret that, Malfoy. Mark my word._**

  
**DRACO**

I awoke an hour earlier than usual to rouse my boulders of roommates for them to call all the males in our dormitory. What happened last night was an outrage! A deliberate annihilation of our rights as men in our society; and if I allow Pansy Parkinson to get the best of me, I may never be able to show my face in polite society again. 

"Well gentlemen," I started as soon as the last first year entered our room and closed the door. "As you all know, we are here to discuss how to deal with the occurrences last night. Malcolm, have you casted a Silencing Charm on this room?"

"Yes. I often wonder how the girls think they're being undermined with all the 'Girls are more trustworthy than boys codswallop,'" Malcolm Baddock asked.

"Exactly what I have been thinking," I paused, smiling knowingly, watching the rest of them turn to each other as though we had some sort of male mind link. 

"This is a barefaced upheaval of our dignity, Gents. These women think they can outfox us in the sport which we have been playing for centuries and centuries in time. This is the best time we place them back to where they belong-RIGHT BENEATH US!"

The room shook with the loud cheers and ominous cackles that were caused by the sexual innuendo in my parting words that resonated through the walls.   
_**Too rash, Parkinson. Very foolish.**_

I lead the pack down to the Great Hall for breakfast, ready to face the girls. I had my game plan down. If there's one thing a woman like Pansy Parkinson cannot stand, it was chauvinistic chivalry for appetizers; then hard, fast, blatant humiliation for the main course. And alas! I was right. 

  
"Master Malfoy," she said as I watched her grip the table sheet under her plate coarsely. "How presumptuous of you to think that we beautify ourselves for the sake of luring creatures of enormous mental incapacity. 

"All we need to do is pull the oldest trick out of Merlin's hat and you will be jumping inside hoops like a trained animal." She rattled on. "And contrary to the popular belief, the old school girl infatuation has long been buried, 7 feet underground." 

  
_**Draco takes the Quaffle. He aims and the Amazing Malfoy scores!**_

"But darling, seven feet isn't that much of a dig. Are you sure you're still not nursing a broken heart?" I pouted. That hit a nerve, I knew it.

"Don't flatter yourself, Malfoy," she spat back, getting rid of the pleasantries. She was breaking. I loved every minute of it.

"I thought that was your job." _**Another great move by the Great Draco Malfoy!**_

"Not even if you were the last person on earth, and the sake of the human race solely relied on our procreation would I even dream of going near you, you immature little git," Pansy gritted her teeth, her body trembling in annoyance.  
"Is that all you've got? And to think I gave much more credit, Parkinson," I barked back at her, our faces just inches away from each other. 

"Oh what now, Draco? Are you going to ask your oversized cronies to hold me down so you could hex me properly? Because I highly doubt you can conjure up a decent one on your own," I heard her say and abruptly, I saw red and I was murderous.

Graham Pritchard and Malcolm Baddok immediately took hold of me and forcefully pushed me back when I lunged forward to grab Pansy on impulse. 

**_You're going to regret that one, Parkinson. Mark my word._**

  


* * *

"Did what I think just happened, just happened?" Ginny Weasley gasped, stunned by what was happening from the table across them and lightly reached for Harry's hand.

Harry just nodded; equally astounded by seeing the Slytherins scoff at each other, all the more seeing Pansy Parkinson and Draco Malfoy looking as though they were almost killing each other. 

"Sir Nicholas, would you have any idea about what's going on?" asked Hermione Granger, who was sitting next to Ginny's older brother, Ron, as the Gryffindor Ghost suddenly popped its head in the middle of the table.

"I asked the same inquiry to the Bloody Baron myself. From his usual unpleasant vocabulary, I was able to gather that the Slytherins are caught in some sort of a battle amongst the sexes." Nearly Headless Nick looked on just as the four young witches and wizards did.

"Battle of the Sexes?" Ron asked in his usual worried tone.

"Yes, Mr. I-repeat-whatever-was-just-said-in-a-question," Ginny rolled her eyes on her brother. "It means that we won't be hearing "Weasley is Our King" from them anytime soon."

"Or Harry Potter stinks," Harry said, still not flinching from his view of the wrestling match over at the Slytherin table.

  
"Or die Mudblood Granger," Hermione yawned, as though the phrase had already lost its insulting meaning. 

  



	4. Snitch and Bitch

**CHAPTER 4 **

**DRACO**

The squishing sounds of the grass under my feet were audibly disgusting as I walked through the Hogwarts courtyard that was still wet in the morning dew. I kept reminding myself that there were worst things in life than wet mornings. For example, not being in Azkaban like my father, or having a horrible hair day. However, after the stint that Parkinson pulled yesterday, I didn't have any second thoughts of joining my father or sleeping on my hair. We managed to stay away from each other for one full day, partly because of the intervention of our fellow Slytherins who, as much as our death match would have entertained them to the bone, wanted to keep our House points in tact. 

The flags around the Quidditch hoops wielded majestically, like a seductive siren calling me towards it. _**Hogwarts' saving grace.**_ The Quidditch pitch is my legacy. With the generous donations my father had given, this poor as a nut school didn't seem half as bad. 

Something was wrong. I paused to put a finger on what was missing as I scanned through the pitch. 

"One. Two. Three. And three in training," I squinted to count the hovering beings, hoping my eyes were just playing tricks on me. Three players, three in training, no girls.

"Where are Parkinson and Bullstrode? And where is the rest of the training team?" I hollered on the top of my lungs. 

"I don't know, probably taking too much time painting their faces again," Adrian Pucey swerved before landing right next to me.

"If they're not here within fifteen minutes, they're out," I declared. My head started thinking of nice little things to write on their suspension notes. _**Due to evident weaknesses, you, Pansy Parkinson, are relieved of your role as Slytherin Beater and will be replaced by someone who's got more than one broomstick, or just simply, Boil your heads in frog spawn, the lot of you! You're Out! Such happy little thoughts; it could just go on forever.**_ An uncontrolled smile became obvious as more sick and demented ways to brush the girls off came rushing through my thoughts.

"Snap out of it, mate. You're off to Lala Land again," Bletchey gave my right shoulder bit of a nudge while Crabbe and Goyle looked at me as though I've lost my mind.

"Hold on, I think the girls' excuse letters are coming," Warrington looked up as the sound of fluttering of wings came closer to us. I caught the silvery white owl, which I recognized as Pansy's and untangled the white parchment tied to its feet before it flew off quickly as though instructed to do so. The four boys came closer as I slowly unrolled the piece of parchment, curious on what the girls had to say.

"We, Millicent Bullstrode, Breanne Devareux, Angelique Ricardi, Elinore Wickham, and Isis Firestar , propose for equality in the system of the Slytherin Quidditch Game," I read the writings on the parchment, not liking the content as it went by.

"Ugh! Again with that Equality sash squat," Montague tapped his forehead exasperatedly.

"This is a written petition, signed and approved by the girls of the Slytherin House, to give Pansy Parkinson, seventh year student and House Team Beater, co-captainship of the Slytherin Quidditch Team. We believe she has the capabilities of leading our team and House to victory." I paused to catch my breath and read on. 

"We are not asking for Draco Malfoy to step down but we are ready to turn in our uniforms if terms are not met. All you have to do is sign the bottom that states your compliance to the terms of agreement and we will get automatic notice. We will be back in practice as soon as the ink dries. Unthreateningly, The Undersigned." I scrolled back the piece of parchment, not quite sure whether to tear the parchment up to pieces or to laugh in sheer amazement.

"They've gone round the bend!" Goyle shook his head disbelievingly. We stood there for a few more minutes before the truth finally sunk in and the burst of obscenities scuttled.

"Stuffing bitches don't know when to stop, do they?" Montague moaned.

"We can play without them. That's what the training team is there for," Bletchey, who was in the training team, said which I sensed was a subliminal implication of, _Ooh finally, my chance._ It was possible, if only half of them was as skilled as Pansy in knocking out the players of other teams or if Crabbe and Goyle didn't have a shortage in brain cells.

"There's only one person who can put an end to this," I muttered, making a full turn and headed back to the school.

"Who?" the rest of them called out all together.

"Professor Snape."

"But Professor this is lunacy!" I stomped around as I paced across Professor Snape's dungeon.   
"You cannot allow this to happen."

"If you could stop marching about, Mr. Malfoy, then I might just be able to think properly without a headache," the greasy haired professor said, reading through the petition.

I took the copy of "Quidditch Through the Ages which I have been going over and over again to check any rules to devoid the petition. I flipped through the cover and through the borrower's names. Oliver Wood, Marcus Flint, Cedric Diggory, Cho Chang, Katie Bell, Fred Weasley, George Weasley, Ron Weasley, Harry Potter..

My throat dried up as I read the most recent borrower. "Pansy Parkinson."

Professor Snape looked up as soon as he heard me say Pansy's name. "Well, it seems that Miss Parkinson was smart enough to consult the book before making any--- drastic steps." _**He's enjoying this, I can tell.**_

"Very well. We shall look for ways to deal with this, ourselves," I stated before walking out of his office.

"So?" Montague asked expectantly as I closed Snape's door.

"To no avail," I answered. 

"Great job, mate. Out of all the girls you could pick a fight with, Malfoy, you just had to pick the girl whom ALL the girls in our house are listening to!" Montague whined. I shot him a warning look to quiet him down.

A string of cuss words escaped their lips as soon the news reached their ears till we reached the Quidditch Pitch.

"What now? We can't play with only half a team!" Warrington groaned, dragging his broom roughly.

"Thank you for that assessment, Mr. Obvious." 

"Let's just sign the bloody petition. She won't be able to control us anyway," Malcolm exclaimed, wanting to just get it over and done with. We all turned to him as if he just mentioned something worse than the Dark Lord's name.

"Well, it's not as though they have given us a choice. I mean, with the game against Gryffindor this Saturday, we need the whole team with us," he added, proving his point to save his arse from getting pounded. I looked at the parchment one more time in annoyance. Malcolm was right. We DID need the whole team with us if we wanted to at least put up a fight against Gryffindor.

"Accio, quill and parchment," I said out loud, calling my quill and a piece of parchment to come flying to my hand.

"What are you doing?" Adrian questioned then widened his eyes in assumption. "Draco, you've gone mad! Crabbe! Goyle! Stop him before he does anything stupid. Tie him to tree or something! 

"I wont sign the petition, you stupid ingrate! Not without a fight. So I don't think tying me up to a tree will be necessary," I glanced at him sharply before getting back to scribbling.

  
**PANSY**

The girls of the Slytherin Quidditch team lay around lazily on the green carpets of my dormitory room. It has been a few hours since we dispatched my owl to deliver our petition and the ring that is supposed to light green, if the petition is signed, and red, if the petition has been denied, has not yet lit at all. _ **What's taking Malfoy so damn long? All they have to do is sign, goddammit! Or those boys too thick to even write their own name?**_

"You don't suppose they ignored the petition, do you?" Breanne flipped the page of the sixth Witch Weekly she's gone through.

"Petition letters work like howlers, it will explode if they're ignored and so far, the only loud bangs we've heard are Millicent's snores," Isis jabbed her thumb towards the sleeping girl, sprawled under her sheets. A tap on our window caused me to look and found Malfoy's eagle, ogling its eyes against the glass. The girls and I looked at each other before I stood up and opened the window to retrieve the piece of parchment it was carrying before it scurried off the edge and took flight as quickly as it could as though instructed to. The girls hurried to my side as I unrolled the parchment and read the content.

"We are considering your proposition; however, we have a proposition for you as well. Meet us at the Quidditch Pitch right now to discuss the terms of agreement. Signed, Draco Malfoy. Slytherin Quidditch Team Captain." 

"What do you think those boys are up to?" Elinore examined the note once again, trying to read through the lines for any clues. 

"Draco isn't one to share for as long as he has a say on it," I reached for the note from Elinore and pocketed it before grabbing my broom. I knew exactly what was going on. It was exactly how I planned it. I know Draco has never been known to half a privilege with anyone, all the more to me, who is not only a girl but a girl whom he greatly dislikes. 

"It's a challenge. He wants me to come and fight for my title as Co-Captain. In what competition, I don't know. Wake Bullstrode up. They want a run for their money, then by Merlin we'll give it to them. Expect the dirtiest, girls. We have been pushing some buttons lately." I said before heading down the pitch.**  
  
Defiant to the very last, you insufferable git. **

We walked through the hallways and past the court yard. I frowned as soon as I reached the pitch, seeing Malfoy smirk as usual. _**I swear. If I had to down to brush my hair everytim he smirks, Id have immaculate hair on this planet. Wait, cross that out. I already HAVE the most immaculate hair on this planet.**_  
  
"Well?" I jerked forward, getting quite impatient with Draco's games. "I didn't waste my energy for you to meditate on me. What do you want?"

Draco smiled reticently. "We will concede to your request," he raised his hand as the boys gave whimpers of disapproval, "but, NOT without a fight."

"Figures. What are the terms?" I asked.

"We split the team in two. If your team wins, you get to be my Co-Captain," he explained.

"And what if we lose?"

"I get to keep my title and you, Bullstrode and Devareux, will be demoted to the training team while Crabbe, Goyle, and Bletchey will take your place in the first team," he said, crossing his arms before smirking in joy. 

"Let me think about it. I will have to ask the girls."

"WHAT? I must say I'm quite disappointed with you, Parkinson. I thought you were more of risk taker," he taunted. "You do want to be Co-Captain, right?"

"Oooh, that sounds tempting. But see, you're the devil himself, Malfoy, and that's what you do best, do not even get the slightest impression that I am just going to give away what I have to the devil without letting the others know?"

"Very well. We hope to see you in fifteen minutes then." Draco turned around and walked towards the opposite side of the pitch.  
**_  
What in the Dark Lord's name am I doing?_**

* * *

  
  
  
  
"You have got to be barmy! What if we lose?" Breanne raised her arms in disbelief.

"We won't. Honestly, I will hang myself if we won't be able to outwit Crabbe and Goyle. Now be quiet now, we can't let them sense any doubt or fear from us," Pansy whispered a few steps from the pitch.

"So," Draco sniffled. "You girls ready to be in the training team?"

"Not if I can help it, Co-captain," Pansy batted her eyelashes, smiling as sarcastically sweet as she could. 

  
"Enough talk then, let's play," Draco mounted himself to his broom. "Rules are-- there are no rules."

"Just the way I like it," Pansy followed, hovering fast.

With everyone in their proper position, the Quaffle was released, followed by the Bludger and the Golden Snitch.

Isis took hold of the Quaffle quickly and swerved between Crabbe and Montague, while Breanne hit the Bludger towards Adrian Pucey, who avoided it and left the keeper's post open, allowing Isis to score.

"TING!" The score bell rang loudly.

Malcolm retrieved the Quaffle and sped toward the girls' goal post. Millicent, who did not normally play the position of the keeper, ducked her head to avoid the approaching ball.

The rigid game lasted for almost an hour and the scores were an even 90-90. 

"Keep your guard on, girls!" Pansy hovered, still looking for the Snitch capitalize.

"THIS IS ALMOST DONE MEN!" Draco barked, almost at the same time, also looking for the Golden Snitch. 

Both of them noticed something glisten from the far end of the pitch and they looked at each other.

"THAT'S MINE!" Draco zoomed across the field.

"NO, IT'S NOT!" Pansy dove under Draco, flying as fast as her broom could take her.

"Oi! You're time is up! You've eaten up most of the Gryffindor's time!" Harry Potter yelled frustratingly.

"FUCK OFF, POTTER!" Pansy and Draco yelled, flying under the bleachers, still on the Snitch's tail.

Dismayed, Harry Potter slumped back down the bleachers next to Ginny Weasley.

  
  



	5. Girls, Mud and Frogs?

**CHAPTER 5 **

**PANSY**

"I can't believe we stomped them!" Millicent jumped up and down the stairs. I couldn't believe it either. _**We managed to beat the boys in Quidditch and I----**_

"I AM the Slytherin Quidditch Team Co-Captain," I gleamed absent-mindedly, trying to let the words sink in.

"The first one in the century!" Elinore pointed out, giggling. 

"Ohh! First one in the century! Oooohhh!" Someone mockingly copied Elinore's excited giggles.

"Oh stuff it will you, Peeves! Even you can't dampen our spirits. Purebloods," Isis said before whispering the password to our common room. 

"Did you see the look on that Whinger Malfoy's face when Pansy got the Snitch before he did?" Breanne quipped as we stepped into the common room.

"I don't know. I was quite busy looking at his bum," Millicent said in a low voice.

"BULLSTRODE!" I exclaimed in disbelief, but half laughing at the thought.

"Well you can't say that all those Quidditch practices did nothing to his body," Angelique agreed.

"I kinda like the way the pants cling to his stonking-ouch!" Isis crooned, before I slapped her in the back of her head.

"I rather not discuss Malfoy's will--- you look at that are you MALFOY?" I immediately straightened myself, giving the girls a wide eyed look when I saw Malfoy leaning against the last stair pole of the girl's dormitory. 

"Tickety Boo," he smiled. "That was a good game, ladies. You were lucky you caught us in a bad day."

"Excuse me? Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't hear the bullshit after 'That was a good game, ladies,'" I pointed at my ear, pretending I couldn't hear well.

"You can dispense the unpleasantries, Parkinson," he winked at us as he walked past towards the common room. "Have a good night's rest. You've had a long day. Besides, you might need it tomorrow."

The girls and I looked at each other, mentally asking ourselves what was going on.   
  
_**He's up to something, I can almost smell it. Now, to uncover what that bugger is up to **_

**  
  
DRACO**

"Well, go on. What do we have, Monroe?" I whispered in the darker end of the Slytherin Common room.

"I've already found the charm and the proper spells for tomorrow. Our year takes Transfiguration before your year does. I can make sure we make the proper alterations before you get there. I have also set aside the ones for the rest of you to find unaltered ones." The boy nodded slightly, assuring me of the execution of his part of the plan. 

"Brilliant." 

**  
  
PANSY**

The girls groaned as soon as Professor McGonagall announced that seventh years had to catch their own transfiguration specimen-a frog, of all things-for the next class.

"Ugh, just what we need. If my shoes get ruined, McGonagall will never hear the end of it! I twitched my noise, annoyed at the fact that I am dragging myself to the field. 

"Parkinson," an annoyingly recognizable voice called out.

"Oh, thank you for catching my Transfiguration specimen for me. I should have fun transforming him into something horrid," I said dryly.

"Who says I'm just going to just HAND my frog to you?" Draco smirked, slightly clutching the jar that contained his frog, closer to his chest.

"Who says I was talking to you?" I smiled mockingly, nudging my head down a bit to make him know I was pertaining to the frog. Blaise let out a small chuckle. Draco looked at her sharply and I felt her hide behind me instantly.

"You can spare me the tongue lashing, Parkinson. I'm here to merely warn you about how dreadful it is to catch these things. I'm not quite sure if you girls can handle it; maybe we could be of assistance." 

"I think we can handle things ourselves as well you, gentlemen. Now, if you could pardon us, we have some frogs to catch," I answered, looking at his face for any expression of deceit. 

"Suit yourselves," he grinned a little bit and progressed to hike back to the castle. Warning bells were setting of inside my head. **You and you're paranoia again, Pansy. Get off it. It shouldn't be too hard.**

Boy, was I ever so wrong.  
  
  


* * *

  
Draco slid his emerald curtains open. Sunlight beamed through the room as all the seventh year Slytherin males started to fill in, finding their places of comfort for the show that was ahead of them. Draco sat in the middle, in his green cushion chair and waited for the events to unfold

In the field where he was at earlier, Millicent Bullstrode flicked her wand for about the three-thousandth time. "Accio, frog!"

Pansy rolled her eyes. "Millicent, if it doesn't work for us, then it wouldn't work for you either. I think that old hag wants us to do it manually."

"Manually?" Breanne clasped her mouth with both palms.

Adrian Pucey arrived at Draco's quarters, sporting a sly grin that went from cheek to cheek. "Boys, I just had a word with Monroe. Apparently, he added a little icing on the cake."

Draco was about to ask what when a slight sound of an approaching thunder rumbled from outside the window and Adrian's smile became contagious.

Pansy looked up the sky worriedly. "Brilliant! Just bloody brilliant! Exactly what we need right now! We better start running girls because I believe our incentive to catch this ruddy buggers has arrived." She and the other seventh year girls slowly moved towards the center of the field, where the frogs are supposed to be kept. Rainfall was starting to be more rapid, that when they reached the center of the field, the rainfall was in full swing. The frogs were frantic, jumping up and down.

"I AM NOT GOING INSIDE THAT PEN!" Blaise yelped in horror as the rest of them pushed her inside. 

Pansy gulped and closed her eyes before following Blaise, stepping inside that invisible barrier, where the frogs were contained. She felt the slippery skins of the frogs that jumped to her knees and she screamed uncontrollably along with the rest of the girls. The girls clung to each other, screeching in horror and disgust with all of their eyes closed until Pansy broke away.

"Okay, we will have to get through this sooner or later," she uttered as bravely as she could, even if the frogs in her legs and the mud on her shoes were enough to make her kill. "Lets do it-fast."

Pansy took a step and wobbled a little bit because of the puddle of mud that the water accumulated in the middle of the field.

"Shit."

Draco could hardly breathe. He was clutching his stomach, almost falling off his chair, laughing. The sight of the girls screaming at the top of their lungs, clinging to each other in fright was just too much to be had. The boys were all crowding in his window now, taking pleasure in every second of the demonstration.

"You're a perverted man, Malfoy. Girls and Mud. I'm not quite sure about the frogs, though," Malcolm Baddock sniggered next to him.

"Now this is what I call a show-OOPS! ZABINI IS DOWN!!!" Goyle hooted as they all witnessed Blaise Zabini scamper across the pen and slipped. 

"THERE GOES BULLSTRODE AS WELL!" Montague laughed loudly. Draco noticed Goyle stiffen a bit and then breathed slowly as the girl got up on her feet. 

  
  
The croaking of the frogs and the consecutive yelps of her misfortunate housemates were almost deafening for Pansy. She was on the verge of tears for never has she been submitted to this kind of humiliation and work. 

"My shoes oh my god, my shoes!" she whimpered softly, but became more audible as she touched her hair. "My hair! OH MY GOD, MY HAIR!!" 

"Having fun, Parkinson?!" A voice called out from the distance. She turned to her left and saw all the Slytherin seventh year boys in Draco Malfoy's quarters, watching them as though they were hens thrown in a pit.

"YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I KNEW YOU HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THIS! I'LL GET YOU MALFOY! EVEN IF THAT'S THE LAST THING I HAVE TO-ARRRGGHH!!!!!!!!" She hollered as she fell to the mud.

"PANSY!" Blaise and Millicent tried to help themselves up to run towards Pansy's rescue but pulled each other down as they slipped. 

* * *

  
**DRACO**

**_Today will definitely end up on my Top 10 list of good memories. _**I closed my door before catching up with the rest of the boys, who were taking their place next to the girl's dormitory stairs. _**Definitely one of the best tricks I've pulled, would you agree? Pansy Parkinson on her bum, covered with mud. Oh, the ecstasy that it brings!**_ I stood in front of the crowd and waited eagerly for the girls to enter. 

  
After a few minutes, the girls arrived with tired expressions and stringy hair, clutching the jars that contained their frogs. I tried to choke down a cackle; but was unstoppable when Crabbe started to chortle hysterically. 

"Hello, MALFOY," Pansy strode in front of me, dragging her wet shoes, filled with mud.

"You're looking very pretty today, Parkinson. Did you get a hair cut? You look quite-tan," I snickered, turning to the boys to give them the cue to join me in laughter.

She gave me the finger before walking up the stairs.

"A pleasant evening to you too, love," I called out tartly.


	6. Quidditch

**CHAPTER 6 **

The Slytherin Quidditch Team lined up in two rows, setting themselves up for the game. After three days of ghastly practices due to the constant arguing of the two captains, they were quite sure of their demise against the Gryffindor Team.

"Yeuck," Draco brushed of the dirt in the lining of his green robes then turned to Pansy. "If we lose, it will be your fault. If you hadn't intruded on the way our team works, we would be as ready as ever."

"Please," Pansy said, dropping her mouth open in disbelief, "after seven years in this school, I have never witnessed this team win against Gryffindor. Obviously, that system has never worked. If we lose again then it's obviously your old ways that is at fault."

The sudden opening of the Entrance gates caused the sunlight to beam on their faces. Pansy squinted a bit.

"It's a beautiful day here in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry---a great day for good round of Quidditch! We are so glad to be able to come back here for the first game of the season, isnt isn't that right, Fred and George?" Lee Jordan's voice boomed across the pitch.

"That's right, Lee, and today we will witness a change in the line up of the incompetent Slytherin Team-" 

"MR. WEASLEY. NOT YOU, THE OTHER ONE." McGonagall roared from behind, pointing at Fred. 

"Right," Fred smirked before continuing. "It seems that Pansy Parkinson has assumed co-captainship of the Slytherin Quidditch Team ."

"Which apparently, I hear, has caused Draco Malfoy's knickers round up in a knot," George added cheekily.

"Weasleys, one more word" McGonagall hollered, her face almost hard in disapproval, wondering why she even consented to having the three friends back to be guest commentators. 

The cheers of the spectators were in a rising crescendo as both the Slytherin and the Gryffindor team marched out the locker room exit towards the pitch. The ground shook under their feet as their respective houses pounded on the bleachers for support.   
"Emerging from the locker rooms we have the Gryffindor Team, headed by their Captain and Seeker extraordinaire Harry Potter" Lee commenced, introducing his old house team.

"Looking lovely, Gin," Fred inserted, waving crazily to his sister who looked more horrified than amused.

"And the Slytherin Team, Co-captained by Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson."

"Looking lovely, Draco," George chuckled, imitating his twin while winking at the Slytherin Seeker.

"STICK TO THE GAME PLEASE!!!" their Deputy Headmistress' voice increased in decibels.

Madam Hooch took her place in the center of the pitch then said her usual, "I want a nice clean game" speech before blowing her whistle to initiate the game.

"Madam Hooch has blown the whistle, ladies and gentlemen, the Quaffle is released and the game is on!" Lee said, concentrating on the game that was to unfold.

"Millicent Bullstrode takes possession of the Quaffle but quickly intercepted by Dennis Creevey from Gryffindor- passed to Anna Johnson, my fiancée's sister--- and they score! Ten points for the mighty Gryffindors! " Fred stood up excitedly upon ending his sentence. 

"Come on now, you lazy little twats," Pansy shrieked from below. "Pay attention! 

"Warrington retrieves the Quaffle but loses it as he evades a Bludger from the Gryffindor beat-LOOK OUT!- that slimy, cheating Pucey!" 

"JORDAN!" Another warning call came from Professor McGonagall sp, who has been fanning herself for the past thirty minutes.

"Montague retrieves the falling Quaffle back and making a pass to Bullstrode-RON!!!!!" George covered his eyes.

"TING!" The bell from the Slytherin Score Board rang and the three commentators gave out a sigh.

Draco and Pansy both gave a sigh of relief when their team finally caught up but paused to listen to buzzing sound from the Slytherin section of the Bleachers.

Weasley cannot save a thing.  
He cannot block a single ring

"Nice" Pansy nodded in amusement as she recognized the chant that she co-wrote almost two years ago. "That means you too, Weaslette. I'll remind them to insert a queen in there from time to time," she snorted as Ginny Weasley passed by her.

"-and it's Malcolm Baddock, Baddock heading back up the pitch-nice steal by Ginny Weasley. Ginny Weasley passing Adrian Pucey from Slytherin, reverses to Anna Johnson and Johnson's headed towards the goal-OHHHH!!!! Anna Johnson takes a Bludger on the arm courtesy of Pug Face Parkinson---"

"ENOUGH WITH THE NAME CALLING!" yelled Professor McGonagall, shaking her head furiously but the three boys in front of her had decided to ignore her with the intense match that was going on.

"Montague-ugh he's a spitting image of his brother, unfortunately-catches the falling Quaffle and zooms past Creevey-avoids Matthew's Bludger, good for a first timer that boy, but of course filling the shoes that Fred and I left is quite a big task and-" George paused to wait for Professor McGonagall's scream but to their shock, it didn't come.

Lee, Fred, and George both abandoned their current interest in the game and looked at their old Deputy Headmistress with a questioning look.

"Well? It seems that my reprimanding has been deemed futile--carry on," Professor McGonagall said, defeated.

Raising their shoulders in a silent "oh well," they went back to the game at hand but it was too late.

"TING!" The Slytherin scoreboard rotated showing an additional ten points, which puts the Slytherin on the lead.

WEASLEY CANNOT SAVE A THING  
THAT'S WHY SLYTHERINS ALL SING  
WEASLEY IS OUR KING.

A shout for joy was heard from the Slytherins' end, while a thunderous booing was clear on the Gryffindors' side. It was still a long game because for both of the teams, a ten point lead was just nothing.

Draco looked around and saw Harry still circling the pitch in search for the Snitch. He looked at the opposite directions and saw a zooming Bludger headed towards an unaware Pansy. He rocketed towards Pansy and pushed her away just before the Bludger could knock her off.

"MALFOY! YOU STUPID GIT, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" screeched Pansy as she steadied herself in her broom, slapping Draco's face towards Harry's direction. "POTTER'S FOUND THE SNITCH! GET GOING! I'M FINE!"

Draco veered off from Pansy and came streaking out of the clouds in a green blur next to Harry in a matter of seconds. The Snitch rounded one of the flags above the Ravenclaw stands then changed its course by dropping down to the sides of the field, between the stands and the pitch itself.

"Ugh. Not this bloody route again," Draco recalled from their second year as he and Harry whooshed down into a steep dive.

Steering clear of the wooden debris, both of the boys chased the Golden Snitch with both of their arms extended forward, trying to grasp it with all their might but then failed as the Snitch altered its route again by flying back into the pitch. 

They lifted their brooms to elevate themselves from the ditch they were at and whizzed desperately for the fast ball. Panting, Malfoy extended his arm once more at the same time as Harry did when they were only mere centimeters away from the Snitch.

"This maybe over in a few seconds, witches and wizards as both of the Seekers are literally nail to nail in catching the most prized possession of the game, the Golden Snitch, which is worth a hefty 150 points-Harry Potter zooms into the lead, leaving Draco Malfoy on his tail-" 

BAM!

"GINNY!!!" The twins leaped forward in horror inside the commentator's box as they saw Pansy whack a Bludger towards their sister's direction. Draco, who was just about to pass Ginny, turned his head towards the incoming Bludger but was able to duck. Ginny, however, was not as fortunate.

"NO!" Harry abandoned his quest for the Snitch and dived frantically to catch Ginny, who fell off her broom after taking a Bludger square in the face.

"THAT WAS A CHEAP SHOT, PUG FACE!" Fred screamed at his mic, waving his hands furiously.

Draco, meanwhile, felt incapacitated after the close encounter that he just had. 

"MOVE IT, MALFOY!! THE SNITCH!!! GO!!!" Pansy shooed him back to reality as he fumbled towards the Snitch. He regained focus and scooted off. 

"GET IT, SON!!! GEEEET IIIITTT!!!" Filch jumped up and down from the Slytherin stand, almost suffocating his cat. "Oh. Sorry, Mrs. Norris." He kissed the top of the cat's head.

Harry was able to set Ginny down the grass before mounting himself back to the broom, hoping to catch up.

Draco slowly lifted his right hand from his broom, stretching towards the Snitch, closing his eyes and breathing. He clasped his fingers together and opened his eyes. Something whizzed between his palms

"YYEESSSSSSSS!!!!" Filch cried, shaking Mrs Norris, causing the cat to scream in terror.

"WE WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Crabbe and Goyle sprung from the bench, clasps their arms together and started dancing.

Professor Snape wide eyed and still frozen in his stance, slowly draped his finger in his mouth.

"They won" Lee's voice trailed off, still not believing the turn out of events. "The Slytherin Team won.."

"Severus.. We won! We won! Sev---SEVERUS Filch reached for the Slytherin Head's robe as the other man body stiffened before dropping unconscious. "Someone call for Madam Pomfrey!"

The shrill uproar that comprised of cheers and angry yells from both houses drowned Filch's request. The rest of the Slytherin team ran towards Draco in a valiant swell of victory.

"It's about time you caught that blasted Snitch," Pansy dusted her robe as she approached Draco. The boy's smile faded away as he remembered the little stunt that Pansy pulled earlier.

"YOU CRAZY BITCH, YOU DAMNED NEARLY KILLED ME!!" He screamed at her, looking as though he was about to squeeze the life out of her.

"Why would I do that?" Pansy asked but then stepped back. "Nevermind, don't answer that. Yes. I DID INTEND to kill you."

"Oh shut it, the both of you. WE WON!" Isis Firestar hooted exuberantly, while the rest of the team went on hugging and dancing in glee.

Harry Potter's sight grew darker as he sprinted towards Pansy, completely disregarding the fact that he was surrounded by teachers and the possibility of being pounded by the rest of the Slytherins.

"HARRY! NO!" Ginny moaned besides her swelling cheek, unsuccessful in grabbing his robe.

"Parkinson!" Draco enveloped Pansy around his arms, receiving Harry's slug on his back. In impulse, he released Pansy and drew back his fist and sank it hard into Harry's face.

Madam Hooch's whistle shrilled in the air while Ginny and Pansy drew Harry and Draco apart from each other. Harry breathed heavily inside Ginny's arms, wiping the blood from his nose, while Draco pulled forward but was restricted by Pansy's strong hold.

"Picking on girls now, are you, Potter?" Draco growled, still trying to get to Harry.

"Tell that pug of yours that if she tries to hurt Ginny again, I'll forget that she's a girl!" Harry howled back.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" screamed Madam Hooch, turning purple in anger.

"It's nothing. It's under control, Professor. Please," Ginny pleaded. 

As much as she despised agreeing with a Gryffindor, spoiling their victory didn't seem great as well, so Pansy nodded in agreement.

"You better make sure none of this continues or it will be months of detention-the both of you," Madam Hooch warned before walking away.

Hermione and Ron reached the scene and helped Ginny pull Harry back to their locker rooms. Pansy, still maintained her grip on Draco, who was still playing the dangerous eye game with Harry.

"So does that mean that you both agree to a truce?" Breanne smiled at the both of them.

Draco and Pansy leaped away from each other and looked at each other, disgustingly.

"Only for today," Pansy simpered before marching to the left.

"And don't you think that I'll enjoy this. Getting me almost killed and punched in the same morning" Draco trailed, going the opposite direction.


	7. Lord and Lady Smug

**Chapter 7**

**PANSY **  
The Slytherin common room was majestic as ever, draped in dark green and silver and yet tonight, it looked different. Earlier, the Hogwarts caretaker, Mr. Filch, entered the common room with a much anticipated announcement. 

"I, Severus Snape, hereby give the members of the Slytherin House permission to celebrate their well-deserved victory against the Gryffindor Quidditch Team. All members of the house are excused from their classes tomorrow.", the old man slurred in his almost incomprehensible cockney accent before heading out the door this afternoon. Since then, the Slytherin dormitory halls seemed more restless as before. 

"Crikey, I've just realized that I have ABSOLUTELY nothing to wear!" Millicent exclaimed, rummaging through her closet. I wasn't really listening. I was feeling sick and extremely nauseated that even curling up in my bed didn't seem to calm down my stomach.   
  
_**Have I been hit by too many Bludgers or did Draco Malfoy save me TWICE? **_|  
I rolled to the other end of my bed.   
  
_**Impulse, Pansy. That's all there is to it.**_   
I tried twisting to my right.   
  
**_ But TWICE?_**  
I rolled back again to my original position.   
  
_**Snap out of it, or you'll have to whack your head against the wall. **_

"Are you okay, Pansy? It's fine, it's just us. The Bathroom's available," Blaise said. I wasn't sure if she was being sarcastic or just plain concerned but I'll stick to the safest answer and say, sarcastic. 

"And I thought Bullstrode has lost her mind by fancying Crabbe," I answered. Blaise bit her lip, looking a bit offended. 

"FINE. I'm sorry. No need to give me that unflattering pout of yours. I get the idea - OFF MY BACK," I threw the pillow above my face, frustratingly. 

**_I knew I should've stayed with 'concerned'. _**

"Pansy you knew I mean, about Vincent and I. I I can explain," Millicent stammered, trying to find words to justify her recent liking for that hideous boulder of a person as though it was the reason for my distress. 

"I'd rather not hear the torrid details of your little escapades with Crabbe, Bullstrode. I am nauseated as it is." 

There was an awkward silence after that and it scared me. It was one of those pauses that comes before an extremely dreadful subject. 

"What is getting to you, Pans? Did Draco do something again?" 

**_Yes. He saved my life and I am distraught. Let me choke under my pillow. _**

"I think its best for you not to mention that name if you want to live through the night," I heard Blaise whisper timidly. 

Apparently, Millicent didn't get the idea. 

"Well, that was a close call you got from Psycho Scar Head. Can you imagine what could have happened if Dra-mpff!!!" Millicent words were reduced to restricted muffles, which I suspect was caused by Blaise's quick thinking. I don't think I would be able to handle the complete version of her sentence. 

"We'll see you downstairs, Pansy!" Blaise called out, dragging Millicent out the door with her palm still against the other girl's mouth. 

  
  
**DRACO**

"Malfoy! There you are, mate!" Adrian shouted from the other end of the hallway. I walked towards him and our hands met halfway. 

"Good game, lad. Great catch!" He shook my hand vigorously. I winced a bit, still feeling the sting from the spot where Potter jabbed me. 

**_Coward and a half, that sick bastard. What if Pan-a girl--- took that kind of hit? _**

"Pansy really got the big play by launching that Bludger at the little Weasley girl," Adrian snickered a bit. "Riled up Potter bad, she did. He wasn't saintly when he went after her. Can't allow anyone to hurt our women, eh Draco?" 

**_This alarmed me. I could've sworn I saw him wink. _**

"What woman?" I asked defensively. "Pansy is NOT my woman." 

**_Right. She is not my woman. She is evil. She is The Dark Lord in Heels sent to make my life miserable. _ **

"What are you rambling about Malfoy? What I meant was that Potter attacking women in general. Coward? Bastard? Why don't you pick a fight with someone your own size? Or at least the same gender? Any of those words ring a bell?" Adrian asked, taken back by my sudden sharp come back. 

"Err. Right. Just wanted to be clear on that," I cleared my throat nervously and avoided Pucey's eyes. 

**_JUST WANTED TO BE IN CLEAR ON THAT? CLEAR ON WHAT,?_**

"Unless of course you had some other idea" Adrian started. 

"WARRINGTON!" I reverted to my attention to my Firewhiskey holding teammate, thanking my lucky stars for his entrance. "And the goods?" 

"Courtesy of good ole Knockturn Alley" Warrington grinned, holding up a bag of Firewhiskey bottles with his right hand and Magic Stix on his left. 

I took one bottle out of the back as Warrington handed me my share of Magic Stix. 

I'm going to need loads of these. 

  
_**PANSY**_

I watched my Bloody Mary swirl around the walls of my glass just to validate the fact that I was extremely bored. Green lights have burst and strobe the air the air remove, which I suspect was from the fireworks illusion spell, courtesy of our greasy-haired Head of House. _**Say? Where IS Professor Snape?**_ I looked around and was a bit surprised that he was allowing himself to let the students run a party, which I undoubtedly think would end up as either a freak show or an orgy. I will never forgive myself if I wake up next to Crabbe. 

  
"SLYBDERINDS!!!!!!!" A pinkish-red Adrian Pucey stood on the footsteps of the grand staircase, obviously having one too many Firewhiskey shots.

"TODAAAY..*snorts* ISH THADAY! WE CRUSHHHED THOSE VLOODY GWYFFINDOW GITS--- A TOAAST TO THAAT, A THOOASST TO THAAT, " he picked up another shot glass and slugged the drink too hard that he almost knocked himself over.

**_Behold: the creatures we are supposed to serve in sickness and in health._**

Everyone raised their glasses before saying 'Hear, hear' "Hear, hear" and took straight shots. The soft music that was amplified from the wireless called for a dance.

"Yesh Yesh" Adrian fumbled, trying to keep himself upright. "And thodaaay, we followph a shlong time traditshhion. *hick*. A traditshhion *hick* that we have not thasshted in sheven yearsh. Sha crowning of sha*hick* shhhlybderin Loord and Lady SSHMUG!!"

**_Why do I have the feeling that I will not like this at all?_**

"Would Drshaco Mawfoy and Banshee Barkinshun come up that sshhtage, plleassse??"

**_SHIT._**

  
  
**DRACO**

Lord and Lady smug is a tradition I never really paid any attention to. Have you ever gotten those days when you seriously want to jab yourself hard in your bits and pieces for not reading Hogwarts: A History when you had the chance? Well, this is one of them.

"Would Drshaco Mawfoy and Banshee Barkinshun come up that sshhtage, plleassse??"

**_Run, you idiot. Run while you still can._**

I poured myself another shot from the Firewhiskey bottle I acquired from Warrington before walking towards the makeshift stage. From the side of my eye, I saw_ Pan---PARKINSON_--- from across the room, deliberately refusing to look my way.

Bright lights blinded me momentarily until my pupils got used to the spotlights. There was an inner struggle whether I should look to my right, where she stood yet she was very still, so I decided to not further embarrassed myself.

"SHA CUFF-VES!!!" Adrian slurred loudly, prompting a second year to up the stairs-stage-whatever the hell it was-with a green cushion pillow from one of the couches.

"CUFFS?? WHAT CUFFS?" she broke her silence, snapping with a tone of panic.

*clasp*

"TAKE THIS OFF, PUCEY! BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T-----, YOU'LL WISH YOU'VE NEVER BEEN BORN AFTER I'M THROUGH WITH YOU!!!" Pan---_**PARKINSON, DAMMIT**_--- tugged the other end of the contraption that was now clasped onto our wrist.

"BLOODY HELL, WOMAN! CAN'T YOU SEE THAT I'M LATCHED INTO THIS DAMN THING AS WELL?" I screamed at her, pointing at my end of the metal cuff.

"EXACTLY THE PROBLEM!" she tugged her hand harder, trying to release herself from the bond.

"You'll never be able to break away from it, no matter how hard you tug it, I rolled my eyes. "Typical logic of a woman, you'll only ruin our skins if you keep tugging like that. You're paying for my next derma-witch appointment and it's very expensive."

"URGH!"

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  
  
The two captains, now cuffed together, dragged each other at the center of the room as the soft music played from the amplified wireless. They snarled at each other for a few seconds, refusing to make even the slightest physical contact.

With the bright lights dimmed, making way for the dark green lights to pour down the common room floors and the falling sparkles from the fireworks spell above them, it looked like the perfect setting for a dance---if only the two people dancing didn't try to rip each others heads off.

"Enough of this, " Draco said. "Lets get this over and done with quick," he slid his hand slowly on Pansy's waist and gripped her left hand that was cuffed to his right. Pansy stiffened a bit then tugged herself away from Draco's body that was too close for comfort but the boy's grip was too tight to get away from. He began to move, leading the slow but steady waltz.

"Enjoying it much, Parkinson?" he taunted, grinning widely as they paced across they floor. "Brings back memories, doesn't it?"

"Fuck you, Malfoy."

"I highly recommend it. I am quite skilled in the sack," he laughed as he spun her around. 

"Go to hell," she said, attempting to step on his toes but he was smart enough to dip her before she could execute it.

"Being this close to you, I am already in the center of hell," he said as he pulled her back up.

"Thus proving my theory that you don't have to be born out of wedlock to be a bastard," Pansy step-cross-stepped through the floor.

"As well with my theory that you don't have to be a dog to be a bitch," Draco simultaneously flowed into the beat with the grace of a cultured aristocrat.

"Maybe I should throw myself down the cliff to end my misery and kill you? Two birds with one stone," she said.

"You bore me with your pseudo psycho love proposal," Draco faked a yawn but jovially pretending to enjoy the dance to annoy Pansy even more.

"Do I really?" she asked, cocking her eyebrow as the song ended.

"Quite," he muttered, ending the dance with a little bow

"You really think you're better than everybody else, do you?" Pansy asked in disbelief.

"To sum it up, yes, I do think I am better that everybody else," Draco walked towards their green couch near the fireplace as everyone gathered to the floor they were just in earlier to have a few dances of their own.

"Where are you taking me?" Pansy protested, stopping at her tracks.

"Relax, Parkinson. I don't think a game of chess will constitute sexual harassment. Unless.."

"Don'ttalk," she pointed towards the green couch, sternly, "WALK."

  
Slowly but steady, Draco and Pansy thread towards the couch, paranoid that one might trip the other, refusing not breaking eye contact and letting go of the expressions and hard faces.

"So, tell me. How do you suppose we would be able to sit as far across from each other without any discomfort when this contraption-from-hell is clamped on us?" Pansy arched her eyebrow when they reached the couch while waiting for Draco's answer.

"Having space issues, much? Pan....-PARKINSON?"

"No, just with you."

"How endearing," Draco scoffed. "Although, surprisingly, you do present a valid point."

"Of course I do," Pansy snorted a bit and unguardedly, she smirked in the way the boy next to her would. A gesture that Draco couldn't but notice as he looked at her intently.

"Since when did you start disliking me anyway?" he asked, his brows furrowing in the middle as he flopped himself down the soft green couch, tugging Pansy roughly with him. "You practically worshipped me before."

"The keyword there is BEFORE," Pansy looked away, trying to keep her guard. It was an almost closed wound and he was, again, trying to open it up after all the things she did to heal. But she was prepared with her reverse mechanism. "Why? Does it bother you that someone just happen to hate your guts?"

"I was born with privilege and for someone as perfect as I am, a life of being forever envied is the burden that comes with my privilege. I am quite used to the defense mechanisms," he answered. "You couldn't possibly know what I'm going through."

"I cannot see how being a rich, vain, tantrum throwing, self centered prick like yourself could be complex," Pansy said.

"Didn't seem to bother you when that hippogriff attacked me. There you were, nursing me and attending to my every whim," he laughed heartily. "Oh yes. The keyword there is RICH."

"You know, I forgot to send that animal a thank you card. Couldn't have done the attacking better."

"And the Yule ball during our 4th year?" Draco pried, making his questions more aggressive and blunt.

"You paid more attention to Potter than you did to me!"

"You were gawking at Granger's pathetic makeover!"

"And you managed to notice the Mudblood's drag clothes WHILE ogling at Potter?"

Draco was taken back a bit. It was like a vicious cycle that never seemed to end.

"So THAT'S what this is all about? Now giving you too much attention?" he fired back. "Then I guess I'm NOT the rich, vain, tantrum-throwing, self-centered and not to mention INSECURE person here. You are."

"You obviously have a distorted view of reality, boy. It's almost pitiful. You live in this fantasy world that revolves around your self righteousness. Around you, being Draco Malfoy. Its YOU who doesn't know what its like to be me."

  
Like the ghostly silence that happens after constant gunfire, the two Slytherins breathed heavily, digesting everything they've said and heard. They both had answers to the previous questions but only opened more windows for more questions. Not to be outdone, Draco jumped at the first thing that came across his mind.

"All right. How about this? Since you have this absurd notion that you can outwit me in everything, I propose a little game," he sat up a bit. "Montague!"

Pansy was baffled at first but she knew very well what Montague's purpose during Slytherin gatherings. "MALFOY, IF THIS IS ONE OF YOUR PLOYS TO GET ME SQUIFFY THEN I TELL YOU KNOW I WILL NOT TAKE PART OF THIS. NOT GOING TO HAPPEN."

"What was it you needed, Capt?" Montague appeared, responding like a pet to his master. Pansy scowled at him for failing to acknowledge her.   
¢   
"Err, I mean one of TWO CAPTAINS." he added nervously. After witnessing Pansy's display of wrath, he knew better than to cross paths with her.

"Never mind, Montague. It appears that the other or rather, THE EXTRA---" Draco paused to worsen the effect. "---Team Captain isn't tough enough for a little excitement. Which is not shocking, really. She does have weaknesses. Lots of them, actually," Draco ended with a wide, taunting grin.

Pansy wanted to protest but her brain was splitting sides, deciphering which action to choose.

Montague raised his shoulders, scratched his head then started to walk away when Pansy called out.

"JUST GIVE US THE DAMN FIREWHISKEY."

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Draco popped the cork in one swift move and the hissing sound of the drink's carbonation slithered from the bottle's mouth. Neither one of them hand any idea of each other's tolerance, yet both were too proud to back out. They both have had drinks, even at a young age, but most of it were expensive and cultured; Drinks their parents served to their guests during parties. As children, they were told that Firewhiskey was too crude, unrefined-- a drink only for paupers like Weasleys. But as young adults, they were made aware that the real reason for its popularity came from the drink's strength. One bottle was enough to knock even someone as big as Hagrid, the gatekeeper of Hogwarts. Such reputation made the Firewhiskey the ultimate Seventh Year challenge. A challenge that Draco and Pansy was about to partake. 

"As we seem to regard each other in a childish matter, this is where we settle this once and for all. For every time I prove you wrong about myself, you have to drink a glass of Firewhiskey," Draco explained.

"A glass? Are you mad, Draco? That thing will kill us both."

"Where's your sense of Romanticism, Pan..PARKINSON," Draco coughed, getting angry at himself for his constant tongue slips.

"And if I prove you wrong about myself?" she asked, titling her head slightly.

"I will drink a glass of Firewhiskey," Draco answered, confidently. "You shouldn't be too scared if what you say is really true, am I right?" He then proceeded into pouring the drinks into the glass. "You start."

"Why should I start?" Pansy protested.

"Ladies first," Draco argued.  
"In this case, it isn't."

  
"Just drink the bloody thing, will you?"

"You think you can order around everyone," Pansy gritted her teeth but then smiled, triumphantly. "Ha! I started first. You drink."

Draco's upper lip twitched into a smirk, took the glass and downed the drink straight, gasping for breath afterwards. His eyes started to well up. He didn't expect the drink to be THAT strong.

Pansy began to sense a little bit of hindrance after seeing Draco's face. His usual pale complexion now had a touch of pink all the way to his earlobes. Though he has kept his face straight, Pansy knew better.

Draco blinked for a while, trying to get rid of his suddenly hazy vision. He then regained sense and remembered what Pansy had just told him.

"You're the one to talk, Pan--I mean, PARKINSON," Draco said, making another slow nod, still feeling the Firewhiskey's spirit. "You treat Bullstrode and Zabini more poorly as I tolerate Crabbe and Goyle."

"That's the most farfetched thing I have ever heard, Malfoy," Pansy protested. "I regard Millicent and Blaise.. in a very.." she stammered as she recalled her last conversation with her two friends and sighed.

Draco cocked his eyebrow up, giving her a look as he poured the Firewhiskey into the glass and handed it to Pansy before she could escape. Pansy looked at the glass for a few seconds but eventually took it, sighed, and drank its content straight. Her eyes grew wider as the drink traced through her chest and made her warm all over. She slammed the glass down, coughing. "You son of a bitch." 

  
"What do you expect? I'm a Malfoy."

"In_deed_." 

"You say it as though I had the easiest role on earth. It's not easy being a Malfoy." Draco filled the glass that he retrieved from Pansy's hand with Firewhiskey and helped himself with another dizzy phase.

"Don't even get me started on this one," Pansy sniffed, shaking her head to keep her vision from splitting into two. "You are an overly spoiled boy with rotten attitude and more money than your brain's ideas on how to spend them. You thank your lucky stars that you're not a Parkinson."

"Having your path laid down your feet without giving you the opportunity to chose," Draco gulped from the glass before handing it to Pansy.

"Not free to choose what you wear, whom to be friends with, whom to marry," Pansy said before slowly sipping the last drip of Firewhiskey from her glass.

By this time, the Firewhiskey's content was almost on the verge of extinction and the two young captains had forgotten about their vow of zero percent physical contact and relied on each other to keep themselves upright. Draco felt as though he was stepping on air instead of the carpeted floor that was under his shoes. He had to stop but the bottle seemed to be more inviting as time went by. Pansy, obviously, was oblivious on what she was saying or doing.

"I could've been everything my father wanted me to be, you know," he slurred, trying to keep his head from slumping down Pansy's which was now resting at his chest. "If only that Scarface didn't show up." The day Harry rejected his friendship in front of everybody still had a bad taste on Draco's mouth.

"Bush head Granger," Pansy snorted, her head moving sideways without her control. "Mudbloods are the Wizarding World's sickness-- ah, what do you know. We're out of drinks!" she chuckled and then laughed out loudly. For some strange reason, Draco found it extremely funny as well and was laughing hard at the now empty bottle.

"Pity," he burst into giggles as he turn the bottle upside down tapped it's bottom, causing him and Pansy to let out a fit of laughter.

"You know," Pansy said, wiping the tears of laughter from her eyes, "I don't think Potter isn't better than you." The comment was followed by a long snort and loud guffaws.

"Granger? Who's Granger? HAHAHHAHAH!"

Leaning against each other for support and fighting to stay awake, the two continued on a laughing trip for a few minutes till fatigue suddenly kicked in---HARD.

Pansy snorted. " Don't patronize me, Malfoy," she whispered before blackness finally took hold of her.

"Anytime.......Pansy," Draco smiled as he followed Pansy to dreamland.

* * *

_**Author's Notes:**_

Ha! And everyone thought theyre gonna end up having sex.   
  
We'll they were sleeping together-Literally. 

Will Draco and Pansy swear of drinking?  
Will Crabbe realize that he's not the only one who's got Millicent in his mind?  
Will Adrian get his diction back?   
Chicken suit? What Chicken Suit?

The Answers in the next chapter called: "The Dreaded Morning After"

**_* I'd like to thank my ever so helpful Betas, Mea and Jess, whom without their effort, I would have still be stuck in chapter one. THANK YOU! THANK YOU!!!!***_**  



	8. The After Math

**Chapter 8**

**DRACO**

**_It's the morning from hell._**

I tried to open my eyes and unclench my teeth while I fought the rampant throbbing of my head. Bleak memories of bright lights, dancing and a bottle of Firewhiskey poured in. _**I AM TOO OLD FOR THIS --- wait---no, I'm not. --- Sodding hell, I FEEL OLD**_. I should have known better right from the start that this would have been a better day spent in bed if I hadn't been trying to kill myself by pushing through with that blasted competition against ---  
**_  
PAN--PARKINSON!_**

I stiffened in panic. _**This is a dream. A nightmare blown up in extreme proportions. I snapped my eyes shut. One, two, three, four....  
**_  
"Hmm..." something moved just right below my chin and I felt it clutch my robe closer. I could feel the tip of her nose rub right at my chest a bit._** God, that felt good -- NO, THAT DIDN'T!---WAKE HER UP AT ONCE! **_

I carefully tried to move away without waking her into a Cruciatus Curse spree, seeing that she was still holding her wand in a hexing grip pointing at my groin. I do intend to father a few children in the future, thank you very much . Everyone knows we need more beautiful people in this world. 

**_Don't look at her. Don't look at her face. _**

I looked. I couldn't help it.

She was radiant, as though she was reflecting the sunlight that gently fell on her face. Without the usual scowl painted on her face and those guarded lines that appeared on her forehead when her brows furrowed, she actually looked a bit, well, tame. I had to blink again to check if I was just imagining things and found myself struggling to leave. We're cuffed together. I have a legitimate excuse. I smiled at the realization but was short lived when a voice inside my head said, **_"No, you're not. The spell expires when the sun breaks, remember?"_** I grunted and cursed silently that it hadn't been a rainy day. I slowly slipped away despite her slight tugging. She started to shiver a bit in the cold when my coat slipped away from her. I decided to grab my blanket. I did get her squiffy, you know?

**_Right._**

I shook my head to deal with the last thought and proceeded to release my cuffed hand as quietly as I could. Then, the full impact of the party's aftermath hit me.

Boys and girls were scattered everywhere on the floor like causalities of war, some, still holding the containers of the drinks that landed them on the floor in the first place. A strong, swelling pain swam in me.

**_Extra! Extra! Head Boy may soon be headless!_**

It was my job to keep this from happening. Surely Professor Snape wouldn't bother noticing. I caught the Snitch. Surely he'll undestand.

**_Newsflash, mate. It is SNAPE._**

I hopped from one spot to another, walking over some drunken--_**wait, isn't that a first year? With Pucey? In a CHICKEN SUIT? **_

I wasn't sure whether it was the hang-over or my forthcoming death made me feel a bit dizzy. It was inevitable anyway.

"Hmm..." I heard Pan---er---Parkinson's voice shiver as she rolled towards the other side of the couch, bringing my thoughts back to my original plan.

"_Accio_, blanket." I whispered, raising my wand slightly. Soon, my green blanket came flying towards me and dropped itself on my palms. I skipped back to the couch, tracing my earlier path and draped the blanket on _**Pan--dammit,**_ Parkinson. She nuzzled against the edge comfortably and smiled weakly.

I was taken aback. With her lips pressed against my blanket and eyelids fluttering a bit, she looked like every bit of a princess that I imagined in the books that my mother would read to me as a child. Before I knew it, I found my face inches away from her cheek. It seemed like a proper time for it. She was asleep thus, harmless enough to make me confident I still have the family jewels after what I would do. I bent slowly to give her small kiss that made her rub her cheek on my blanket. I smiled. Suddenly, the fact that Snape would be furious enough to hand me to the Dark Lord himself didn't seem to matter.

  
**PANSY**

A huge streak of buzzing sounds awoke me as though I was lying in the middle of the market. Sunlight burned my eyes when I first attempted to open them, followed by feeling as though my head was being broken into half. _**Where the hell am I?**_ The blurry haze started to clear up and I saw Madam Pomfrey going around the room, giving medicine to some of the first year and second year students. 

"I cannot believe this would happen!" she uttered angrily, shaking her head in disbelief as she continued her rounds. The first and second years groaned in pain, trying to help themselves up. "How could you allow this, Mr. Malfoy?"   
  
I gasped. 

**MALFOY. **

My eyes widened and I immediately touched my chest to check if I was even decent and was relieved to find myself fully dressed. My memory of last night's party was almost like a huge blur. I remember being cuffed, the dancing and--

**_OH, MERLIN. THE FIREWHISKEY. WHO KNOWS WHAT I'VE DONE?_**

Panic stricken, I grabbed my blanket -- _**WAIT, MY BLANKET? WHY WOULD I HAVE MY BLANKET HERE?**_ I looked at the green blanket and immediately recognized it as somebody else's because of the initials embroidered on the blanket.

**_D.M._**

I looked at Draco and he glared at me, nodding in acknowledgement, before turning back to Snape, who looked a lot like the color purple.

**_He gave me his blanket. Why?_**

It took a moment for me to let things sit in. It wasn't like Draco to do something like that. 

**_Don't get too carried away, Parkinson. He must've used it because he was cold and since you were cuffed to him, he couldn't go get it without you Avada Kedavra-ing his sorry Malfoy bum to kingdom come._**

It was a very valid reason but somehow the idea of Draco tucking me in seemed a bit more convenient; Too convenient that I didn't notice myself running through the wall.

"OUCH!" I yelped in a blood-rushing pain along with a few strategically chosen swear words as soon as my head collided with the edge of the wall. 

**_That's what you get, you old nut._**

I quickly looked around and thankfully, everyone was too busy groaning and trying to get themselves back to bed without colliding against the wall. 

**_Yes, it's the alcohol. Definitely the alcohol._**

I pushed the door of my dormitory room and found that the war was not over.

  
**DRACO**

"Get in, Snape pointed towards his office sternly. 

**_Yes. Here it is. My finish. The end of Draco Sodding Malfoy._**

I entered the room and he followed, slamming the door behind him. 

"Do you have any idea? Any idea what could've happened if one of the young students were hurt? Do you have any idea of the term 'consequence' or perhaps the years of spoilage did not introduce you to such a concept?" his nostrils flared under his flaming eyes.

**_I am not spoiled._**

My mouth twitched, itching to retort but there was no chance. I smuggled drinks into the school, I could be expelled. Where would I go? 

**_Maybe I am spoiled._**

"Since your father has been a good friend and a great financial contributor of this school, I have managed to lessen down your penalty, " Snape said with no particular tone of voice.

"Take my Head Boy badge. That's nothing to me. My father is in Azkaban, it's not like there is anything he can do." I answered defiantly.

"No, I will not take your Head Boy badge as it is your father's wishes that I maintain your status until you finish school, " Snape said. I started to beam. Maybe there is hope after all.

"However," Snape cut my hopes short.

**_I hate that word._**

Snape stood up and picked up a piece of parchment. "However, you will have to let go of your duties as Slytherin Quidditch team captain, effective as of today."

**_We have now decreased altitude. Please clear the way for one lethal crashing Malfoy in a Nimbus 2001. _**

"But..." I stammered. "You...cant. You can't do that! Who will lead the team now? I CAUGHT THE BLOODY SNITCH!" This time I lost it. "HOW IN THE NAME OF ALL THINGS VOLDEMORT COULD YOU TAKE ME OUT OF THE TEAM?" 

"You will not mention You-Know-Who's name that way in my presence again. You will let go as your duties as Quidditch captain and will pass every power to Ms Parkinson immediately. I cannot tolerate this kind of misbehaving and if your father was here, I wouldn't doubt it if he will either, " Snape declared, not skipping a beat. 

I fled his office as fast as I could. I wanted to scream out in frustration and yet I heard a voice that seemed to wash it all away.

  
**PANSY**

"How could you, Millicent! I trusted you! You were my friend!" Blaise sniffed, looking close to tears. "Traitor!" she screamed before finally pouring it all on her pillow.

"But--" Millicent tried to explain.

" What the hell is going on? I have a splitting headache and have a very,very,VERY LOW tolerance for hair brush fights," I rolled my eyes and plopped myself down my bed.

"Millicent here," Blaise pointed to the girl sitting across her, "was pretending as if no one paid attention to her enough to make her parents 'negotiate'" she enacted the quote marks with her fingers for emphasis, "a marriage for her and---"

"But--" Millicent attempted to protest but the other girl was far too angry to be stopped.

"Turns out little Ms. "I'm-an-Ugly-Duckling" has been playing to numb nuts when she damn well knows I'm in love with one of them!"

**OH LORD HAVE MERCY.**

"Pansy," Millicent turned to me for help. "I swear. I didn't intend for Goyle to er -- like me--" she explained but was cut off once again by Blaise.

"Oh please, you're such a liar, Bullstrode. You could've just said 'No' when he tried to kiss you, " Blaise pounded her fist down her bed, making both Millicent and I, jump.

"It happened so fast. I tried to tell him that I---"

"WHORE!" Blaise exclaimed out of nowhere and the before she knew it, Millicent's hand landed straight on her right cheek.

"HOW DARE YOU CALL ME THAT, YOU---YOU BITCH!" Millicent cried with tears streaming down her eyes.

"ARE YOU TWO INSANE?," I stood between the two girls who were at the brink of wrestling each other. "QUIT IT THIS INSTANT!" I demanded.

The two girls marched back to their own beds in retreat.

"You, " I pointed to Millicent, "stay away from Goyle if you want to have a husband at the end of the school year. Or at least, a friend."

"And you," I turned to Blaise. "Have you even told Gargoyle about this?"

Blaise was still trying to catch her breath and was still panting. "Yes... well, subtly."

"I don't think 'subtle' will sink into his puny brain, " I suggested. "You might have to slice it down to his level. Think, 'Ga-ga-Goo-Goo-Foodie"

"Now, in the meantime, talk this out and if you intend to kill each other, do try to stay as far away from me, " I said before exiting the room for my well being, taking Draco's blanket with me.

I closed the door and leaned against it. I looked at the blanket for a moment and couldn't help myself. Next thing I knew, there I was, sniffing the bloody green blanket once again.

**_Its smells just like him--er--WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU, PANSY? STOP THIS AT ONCE! _**

* * *

  
Meeting halfway down the hallway, Draco and Pansy found themselves face to face for the first time after the previous night's incident. They slowly approached each other, assessing the other person's facial reaction while trying to mask their own real thoughts with their exchange of scowls. They stood in front of each other, waiting for the other to make the first move.

"Here, " Pansy shoved the green blanket hard on Draco's chest. "I placed a cleaning spell on it and I folded it. We all know you don't make your own bed, " she said, in her own threatening version of 'Thank You'.

"It was an extra one. I have enough blankets to last me a lifetime. You seemed to need one and a Malfoy does recognize the needs of the less fortunate, " he replied with his defensive version of 'You're Welcome'.

Silence.

"It seems that your two pet pals have slobbering over Bullstrode, " Pansy said, nonchalantly, trying to decide why talking to Draco seemed awkward. "Much to the dismay of Zabini. Who knew? Millicent, out of all people."

Draco looked baffled. "You're confusing me."

"Should've guessed, you never really were the smart one." Pansy said as sarcastic as she could to make her feel normal. "Let me put it in a way you simpletons can understand. Blaise likes Goyle. Goyle likes Millicent but Millicent has been snogging Crabbe and ---"

"Ugh," Draco looked aghast. "Please. Spare me the disturbing mental image. I have enough things on my mind right now."

"Of course. How would you squeeze in a thought between 'Myself, Myself, Myself and--oh Myself! and my---"

"MYSELF," Draco huffed, "losing Captaincy to you." Frustration suddenly washed over the boy's face.

Pansy was surprised. "You..what? How?" She then thought about the sight she woke up to this morning: a floor full of intoxicated students.

"None of your damn business, " Draco walked past her roughly. "I don't need your sympathy."

"It was never offered, " she stomped angrily towards the opposite direction.


	9. A Proposition

**Chapter 9 **

**PANSY**

I didn't think I would live to say this, but for once, I am glad to be home.

**_No more Quidditch practices with Crabbe and Goyle, playing "Tug-Millicent-War" every time they get the chance. No more Dormitory Drama between Blaise and Millicent and best of all, no more Draco Sodding Malfoy._**

I looked into the mirror and saw my reflection whom I, just a few months ago, exchange vows with to destroy the illusive Draco Malfoy. Well, we had succeeded. I should be triumphant. I should be jumping for joy, spending a lot of Galleons to redecorate my room with bright ornaments. But I am not. 

**_Please don't tell me you feel bad, Pansy. This is what you want. _**

  
_**Right? **_

I slumped face forward down my bed and buried my face under the sheets, clutching my stomach to ease the ill feeling in my guts.

**_He got what he deserved and I got what I deserved. I got my revenge. I got my captaincy. Ive I've raised a bloody female revolution and yet, here I am feeling all squirmy inside. What do you want from me?_**

I pounded my head against my mattress in frustration, wanting to fall in to a long sleep and wake up when everything is fine and dandy. I started to count sheeps, just as I always do when I was little and found that very, very helpful. I was about to embark into a nostalgic journey into dreamland when my father, with such impeccable timing started barging into my room.

"WHAT IS THIS I HAVE HEARD? YOU ALLOWED DRACO MALFOY TO LOSE HIS CAPTAINCY TO YOU?" my father's voice bounced against the four corners of my quarters. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH YOU HAVE JEOPARDIZED MY POSITION?"

**_For a moment, I had this morbid thought of The Dark Lord just striding into my room and just say the words that would have been the sweetest thing I would hear at this precise moment, namely Avada Kedavra._**

"It was not my decision for him to lose his captaincy of the Quidditch team, it was Professor Snape's. If you have any problems with that, deal with Snape himself, " I muttered under my pillow, not even bothering to look up to my father.

"Don't you use that type of reasoning with me, young lady. It's bad enough that you've humiliated me by insisting on playing Quidditch like an undignified lady but here you are gallivanting--WILL YOU GET YOUR BLOODY ARSE OUT OF YOUR BED!" 

I stiffled a laugh. My father was angry. He said 'arse'. 

I tried to muster my best frown before facing my father, who looked like he would be having a stroke anytime soon.

"What am I going to do then? Plead to him to come back to the team? Honestly, father. I thought you took pride in our family's name. On being a Parkinson. You're practically earning a living off Lucius Malfoy, " I scowled bravely, not caring anymore if my father would strangle me to death.

Next thing I knew, I felt a solid whisk on my left cheek that burned. My father, my very own father, had laid a hand on me. I was too shocked to even react but my tears were coming and I would not give my father the privilege of seeing it.

My father looked stunned himself but it was too late to retract his actions.

"I will give you an ultimatum, young girl. If you don't fix this mess by the end of School Year, you will lose your right as my heir apparent. You have disgraced me one too many times. You will find a suitable husband with Malfoy blood or else, it will be your Gringott's account on the line!" he said before exiting my room.

I turned to my mother, who had been standing there for quite a while now. I knew that she witnessed me being slapped and yet she kept still, with her reaction as cold as stone. She walked in and could not look into my eyes.

"That is what you get for not keeping your mouth shut, " she said, walking straight towards my closet and started looking at my dress robes. "You don't have any new dress robes. We shall have to purchase an expensive one."

"And you think that would satisfy me, Mother? Perhaps I should get slapped more so that you could buy me more things that I don't need," I answered, bitterly. My own mother was too weak to even protect her own daughter.

"Maybe if you bite your tongue more often then you will get slapped less," she replied icyly. "We are going to buy you the best dress robe for the party in the Malfoy Manor. There will be a lot of suitable young men there, hopefully you find someone crazy enough to put up with you."

**_MALFOY MANOR? PARTY? WITHOUT LUCIUS?_**

"And to what occasion? Father's sacrificial ceremony with me as the ultimate sacrifice? "

"Lucius Malfoy was released last night from Azkaban."

  
  
**DRACO**

I was given an ultimatum by my father. 

"Truly irresponsible of you, Draco. I should have expected you to fall short of my expectations---again." That was the first thing my father told me upon seeing his only son after three years of imprisonment. Apparently, the Dementors had not soften my father, or at least not to me. 

"Losing captaincy in your Seventh year and what is this I hear about you NOT finding a suitable woman to marry? Hopeless as you could possibly get, " my father huffed, clutching his staff. "You will find a wife by the end of the school year and YOU, will have to dig yourself out of this hole that you've created yourself as soon as you can or I will have to cut any ties I have with you, along with everything that comes with the Malfoy name." 

So here I was, in the middle of a hall with people I barely knew and some I had never seen in my entire life. My mother was flying down from our staircase, trying to get all the servants organized. Our finest chandeliers were being put out and hanged and the green and silver linen had been delivered in to our house early in the morning, to be used for tablecloths and tapestry. My new dress robes had been delivered to my room around noon, which I didn't touch until late that afternoon. The thought of my mother taking me in rounds, introducing me to the ugly daughters of her friends from the Wizarding Club was not really enticing to me. But it was inevitable. It was my doom.

My mother dragged me across the hallway as soon as she spotted a friend of hers whom she knew had a daughter around my age. Estelle was from Beauxbatons and looked extremely timid and frail. She looked up to me with her droopy eyes from behind her mother, looking a bit terrified. Looking like she wouldn't be able to fix a broken nail, I had a feeling that if we married, we would be drowning in a months time.

Then there was the Tzevetelina Triplets, Anastacia, Drucilla and Alvinia, who were the offsprings of my father's contact in Bulgaria. They were like Viking women who were thrice my size. I looked at my mother desperately to move on to the next choice.

"Ah there you are Elinore!" My mother smiled as she spotted two ladies. The older, I suspect, was the mother of the younger lady. Though in her fifties, the woman looked very much like my mother, a classic beauty. Her daughter was quite a looker as well, blonde and a bit tan, as though she just sprung out of one of my mother's issue of Witch Weekly.

"Narcissa, darling. You haven't aged a day. I simply cannot compete," the older lady exchanged cheek brushes with my mother before turning to me. "And you, must be Young Master Malfoy. Pleased to meet you, sir." 

"And you, " I said, as dignified as I was trained.

"Is this little Eunice?" my mother asked, straining her eyes a bit to look at her friend's daughter. "My goodness she's grown a beauty. Don't you think so, Draco?"

"Uh.. Yes," I coughed after being nudged in the rib by my mother. "Yes, of course."

"Why, thank you, " the girl said, smiling and licking her lips in the process. "Madam Malfoy, I simply adore your flowers in the garden. Do you take care of them yourself?" she asked my mother, obviously tipped that my mother was completely obsessed about her garden.

"Oh, I thought no one would ever notice, " my mother ecstatically answered. "Yes, would you like to see them with me?" she invited Eunice and took her arm before the girl could even answer and led her to her garden.

"Isn't my daughter lovely, Draco?" Elinore asked, getting alarmingly close. "She's just about right for you."

  
She was about to continue to praise her daughter when she paused all of a sudden. 

"Will you look at that. It's my dearly beloved cousin and his wife and daughter," she nodded her head towards the entrance where I saw Mr. and Mrs. Parkinson enter the hallway and proceeded to greet my father. I felt my throat starting to dry when I got a glimpse of Pan--Parkinson-- walking behind her parents. Never in all my life had I seen her look as elegant as she was now, in a simple satin dark green dress and a thin necklace lying on her chest. She must had felt me looking at her because she looked at my direction, giving me a full, mind-blowing glimpse of her face while giving me that familiar scowl. It was almost endearing.

"It's such as shame what she did to you. Incredibly unrefined, " the woman beside me smirked. "My daughter told me about her untamed tongue. Why if she was my daughter, I would have disowned her a long time ago," she added before moving in an uncomfortably close stance against me.

"But my daughter will not displease you. I taught her everything she knows, myself."

"Do you think?" I asked, trying to move away slowly but she seemed to move along with my direction.

"You're just like your father, you know, " she said as I felt her hand in a certain spot in my posterior. "Handsome as hell."

Just as any normal man would do in such a situation, I fled to the opposite side of the room where I know my buns would be safe.

**PANSY**

My mother returned to my room after a few hours with a dress that screamed Slytherin in every thread in its bodice. She called in my father's cousin and well-renowned witch stylist, Alicia Parkinson-Hawthorne, to give me a cosmetic overhaul.

"Eunice and Elinore will be there," Aunt Alicia told me as she placed her instruments in my dresser while I sat down in front of my mirror. 

**_Just what I need, my snotty fading beauty queen of an aunt and her precious daughter that I hate the most. _**

"How exciting, " I sneered, opening one of the back issues of Witch Weekly as my aunt started to work on my hair.

"And knowing my sister, she will be selling her poor daughter to the Malfoys just as father did when she was young." I always thought I had at least one smart relative.

"I was born into a family of Kiss-Ups, " I sighed. "Whatever happened to you?"

"Well, I was the second born, so I was not bound to any family just as long they were pure blooded." My aunt clipped a few strands on my hair while her wand curled the others. "But since my older sister failed into wooing Lucius--er--Malfoy and losing him to Narcissa, she married my husband's older brother and vowed to get her share of the Malfoy fortune through her children."

"How cute, Prince Git Extraordinaire and his Princess. I could hardly wait, " I said, feeling a little miffed at the mental image of my evil cousin and Draco dancing around at the party later.

My aunt smiled knowingly, and said. "I'm sure he'll be able to choose the right girl for him."

"That boy can't even tell the right end of his wand, for the life of him." I lied. 

My aunt laughed. "I see so much of myself in you when I was your age. Tough and I might say an inability to hold your tongue as well"

" Did your father try to threaten you with his repossession of your trust fund as well?" I looked at her through our reflection in the mirror.

"And you're as sarcastic as hell, she continued laughing while giving one final flick of her wand to end her creation that was now resting on my head. "No matter what people will say, Pansy. You are a Parkinson; A descendant of great lineage and power. You are bound to the same responsibilities as well as the privilege that comes with your name."

"You have no idea how much I've heard that speech before, " I rolled my eyes but was inwardly listening.

"But in the end, you have to do it for yourself." My aunt tucked her wand back into her robe. "You will find that your gut feeling is always right."

Just as she said that, my father entered the room. 

"Have you been putting nonsense on my daughter's head again, Alicia?" my father raised his eyebrow. " I've had enough trouble from her without your help."

"Don't be silly, you old coot. I am fixing your daughter so that you can fend her around Lucius' party and find a good husband. I have been scolding her for the past hour for it, " my aunt lied then turned to wink at me quickly.

"The coaches have arrived and we're late. I don't want people to talk on how rudely late we've arrived." He grabbed my arm and practically hauled me out of my chair.

"Will we be seeing you there?" my father asked Aunt Alicia. 

"No, I have an immediate call in France for Fashion Week that is hosted by Witch Weekly . Every respectable person will be there and they cannot start without me. Elinore and Eunice will be there--_as always_, " Aunt Alicia answered with a bit of an emphasis on the last part of her sentence. 

  
"Fine. We need to get going, Pansy," he said, pulling me down the stairs in a hurry.

* * *

Alicia Hawthorne looked on as she watched her niece being led down the staircase by the girl's father, her cousin. 

"Do it for yourself and don't hold back," she whispered from above them, gazing at the girl who seemed to be her reincarnation. "Don't do the same mistake I did." 

She gathered her things and exited the way the father-daughter pair did as quickly as she could.  


* * *

**DRACO**

I hid out in the men's bathroom until some of the men who came in looked at me strangely. I knew that it was time to end my bathroom loitering.

**_My reputation is tattered enough as it is. I don't need any more whisperings about my so-called 'loo escapades'._**

So I crept back to the ballroom, keeping my eyes peeled for Mrs. Hawthorne, the Bun Molester. 

Some high officials from the Ministry of Magic huddled near the end of the buffet table where the drinks were placed. They looked a bit uncomfortable to be around the man they helped imprison but that didn't seem to let them stop from enjoying the food. The wives of some of my father's friends stood by the other end of the buffet table, probably discussing about the latest gossip and scandals in the community of the rich.

The rest were just standing around in groups, dividing themselves up by age and school. I noticed Adrian Pucey dangerously eyeing the hard drinks on the counter. I took the leisure of staying away from alcohol trouble--at least for now. Then, two stupidly familiar figures came toward me and surprisingly, they were not alone.

"Whatever it is you wish to tell me, I already know and I don't think I can stomach it, " I managed to say before I allow myself to turn into a human vomit trajectory.

**_Pan..er SHE was right. It is the end of the world. _**

Speaking of my misbehaving soon-to-be-co-captain-again-or-else- I'm-dead, I searched for her, determined to give her a few sneers before the afternoon was over.

Finding her was no trouble. She was at one side of the dance floor, leaning against one of the stone pillars. She was alone, watching the people dancing with an expression I didn't understand at first. Her look. It wasn't envy nor disdain. It was longing. Just plain and simple.

I watched people drift past her. Boys stayed away from her, scared of her threatening stance and infamous command of tongue. Girls from other schools, especially Eunice, gave her looks that I know would send Zabini to tears immediately. She did nothing; but even from across the room, I could see her stiffen with every glare.

**_This is new. Pansy Parkinson. Vulnerable._**

But there she was, looking lost and forlorn that I could hardly stifle the image of myself striding out into the ballroom, curning everyone for mistreating her.

**_What kind of an imbecile would ignore such a woman?_**

**_You've ignored her all your life, you ingrate._**

She met my eyes and pulled herself up and threw me a scowl that would have infuriated me just a few days ago but I now I understood exactly why she did. I scowled back, trying to asses my discovery.

**_Was it pity? Am I even capable of such a character flaw? Probably not. But what is this that's making my insides move?_**

I decided it wasn't the soufflé that upset my stomach. Seeing Pan--PARKINSON in such a vulnerable state, being able to see what's really behind that cloak did.

I had to lean back against the wall for support.

**_Merlin help me. She's awakened my chivalry. Please kill me._**

But as the notion floated in my mind, I found the sudden urge to stand straighter, to grab my wand and wave it around in manner of a mad man, scattering enemies like leaves in the middle of autumn. The thought of rescuing Parkinson was enticing beyond my wildest dreams.

Assuming she wanted to be rescued. No sense in getting Parkinson's trigger happy finger to be shooting green light towards my crotch.

I cleared my throat and took a deep breath then placed my most formal frown on my face before braving the ballroom hall to her, threading through the couples who were dancing on the floor. She stood her ground. I had to laugh inwardly. She has always been this way, never backing out from a fight.

I slapped my hand against the pillar she as leaning on right next to her head, making sure my face was as close as possible.

"Well, I suppose you've heard about my father's opinion on me losing captaincy to you?"

She stiffened, obviously alarmed at how close I was. "What of it?"

"You've ruined my reputation. I'd say from the looks of it, you owe me."

"I don't owe you anything, you little---"

"And from what I heard, you have quite the problem yourself, " I caught her shoulder before she made another attempt to leave. "You really don't want to do that after your father hears about me saving your life TWICE. I'd say that means you'd be as poor as a Weasley." 

I waited for her to slap my face and I wouldn't have doubted that I deserved it. Instead, she started to wilt right in front of me and I couldn't bear it. I had to do something.

"Well, perhaps a proposition?" I hoped that it somehow eased the tension a bit.

It took care of the withering all right because I saw the fire come back to her eyes and I knew Id get slapped. But I didn't.

"Fine, What do you want?"

**PANSY**

"Ask Professor Snape to name me Quidditch captain again and we'll give your father a little display of affection." I started to balk but he continued, "This way we both get at least half of our trust fund problems done. We both get our dignity back but most importantly, our money. You wouldn't want word to get around that you're as poor as a nut now, would you?"

"That's blackmail,." I snarled.

**_Unbelievable. He can even find a proposition in neck-deep shit._**

I gritted my teeth and looked away. The wheels on my head was turning, wrestling and weighing down my options. I can keep my captaincy and finish school with nothing more but the clothes on my back and never being able to face polite society anymore. Or I can take Draco's proposition, get a better chance of getting my trust fund back and step, trample, and practically crucify my pride. Either way, I'm screwed. Obviously, he INTENDED to leave me with no choice at all.

"I get the title of Assistant Captain?" I raised my eyebrow.

"You got it."

"And dropping a good word to my father?"

"Consider it done, " he held out his hand towards me. "Truce?"

I ignored his hand. "Get out of my way. Tell me when you're ready and I'd like to get this over and done with before the party is over." 

I had to get away from him, from his silvery gray eyes, as quickly as I could. I wanted to run towards the table of butterbeers, hoping to find a bottle of Firewhiskey there that I might forget how his breath felt on my cheeks. It's like a bloody curse. Everywhere I go: Malfoy.

I sighed as I reached the table of butterbeers, poured as much as I could in my glass and gulped hard as it slipped down my throat. I was feeling wuzzy inside, as though everything was moving too fast.

"Hey, Pansy, I heard someone speak from behind. I turned around and saw Eunice, the blonde slut, and someone I barely recognize. I squinted a bit to see who the guy who called out my name was. He smiled slowly and I noticed he had the same pale eyes as Draco's only the boy's eyes were blue and could not compete for Draco's silvery ones.

"Galen Black, " I said, upon recognizing him from my childhood. He took my hand and bowed slightly, bringing the back of my hand to his lips.

" I've heard so many things about you. I am at awe," Galen's smile twinkled. " I've never seen a woman who's strong and beautiful at the same time."

Maybe there is hope, after all. 

"Galen, Please. Stop, Eunice hissed. My eye slits grew smaller and felt as though my nails had turned into large claws.

Galen threw Eunice a faintly annoyed look. "What?"

"What are you doing, you idiot?" Eunice exclaimed. "You come away from her."

"Now, Eunice. Can we please put aside this family feud for one second?"

"She's desperate for a husband. Or maybe she isn't. Either way, you don't want to stand too close. It will ruin your reputation, just as she did to my husband-to-be," she glanced towards Draco and red lights and loud sirens blasted inside my head. "Mother's right. No self-respecting woman would disgrace a man like that."

It hurt. I didn't know why it did. It felt as though I had been slugged in the gut. _**She was stupid. Stupid, idiotic, ignorant girl with no sense of fashion in her body, no matter what other people would protest!**_ I was blinking furiously, trying to fight the itching in my eyes that signaled that tears would drop any second. I drew back my hand, ready to slug her ugly face into the back of her head when someone put an arm around me, making me immobile.

"Well hello, Eunice. Ah! And my wonderful cousin, Galen, " a deep voice said directly behind me. "I see you're enjoying the party. Would you mind if borrowed Miss Parkinson for a minute. We have discuss certain things, isn't that right?" Draco looked at me as I nodded in shock, trying to keep my head down.

"Why Draco," Eunice suddenly morphed from a sick bitch to a purring kitten. "Mother wanted me to invite you for a nice supper tonight."

"I thought I was going to--" Galen complained but stopped as soon as Eunice glared at him.

_**All right, that's it. That is the last straw. It's time to concede to battle.**_

Not that I wanted Draco. _**Of course not. It's just a competition against my retarded cousin. This has nothing to do with Draco at all. This is about my chances of getting my trust fund back--- and beating Eunice at everything, of course.**_

I backed up straight into Draco's body as though making a human barrier to guard him from my cousin from cosmetic-hell. 

"Oh, I can't, " Draco answered, almost too cheerfully. "I have a lot of discussing to do with Professor Snape and Pan--errr--Parkinson here will help me explain my case."

I gaped at him as best as I could with him clutching my robe from behind.

"Isnt that so, Parkinson?"

I could have sworn he winked at me. I couldn't even manage a logical reply.

"Well, I suppose we'll see you both around, " Draco said, leading me to the opposite direction.

"I hope to see you around, Pansy!" Galen called from behind. "Dinner?"

"She'll get back to you on that!" Draco answered, still pushing me towards one of the dark corners of the hall. He plunked me down to the nearest chair, grabbed one for himself and looked at me intently. The same silvery gray eyes that I'vetried to run away just a few minutes earlier.

"We've got a problem, " he said, looking at me square in the eye, making me choke. "We both have what others would consider a problem."

"We do?" I asked, still fixated on the way he looked at me.

"We do. Hard to believe, especially me. I'm practically perfect. I'm a god, I'm a human Adonis, I'm--"

"I'm going to be sick, " I snarled, cursing his ego to take off the magic of the moment. 

"Just listen because it's hard enough that I'm even considering this." His faced remained serious. "I can't find a wife because smart women are threatened by my beauty, thus making me a 'dumb woman' magnet"

"Oh god, " I shook my head disbelievingly. 

**_Straight from his mouth, he called himself beautiful. The sad part of it is, he isn't lying._**

He looked at me sternly. "You can't find a husband because let's face it. You're scary. Most men just want to be pampered, not whipped into shape. That's about sums it up, doesn't it?"

I nodded in agreement. "Yes. That's just about the size of it."

"So," he said, leaning back to his char a bit and crossing his arms. "I figured we help each other. I can teach you how to tame that tongue of yours and use it to your benefit and you can teach me what the sodding hell smart women want. You're a smart woman, so you could tell me what's wrong."

**_He called me, WHAT? He wanted to WHAT? He..hell Parkinsons and Malfoys never hhheellll_**

"You want me, to give you dating lessons?" I laughed. "Oh, this is rich."

"Is it?" he asked, leaning forward again. "It's a fair deal. After this, you will get rid of the ties you have with me for saving your life and you will never have to deal with me any longer."

**_That just it. A deal. Nothing more. How stupid could you even get for thinking there could be something more?!_**

"Agreed," I answered, fighting hard for my voice not to crack.

"Now, I know we have to give your father a little bit of a show, " He offered his arm. "Let's?"

I nodded and took his arm as I swallowed down the burning in my chest.


	10. You are a SPOT

The crazy old sister did not seem to be around; however, nothing escaped Lucius Malfoy's notice. He told himself that he should probably leave before Elinore Parkinson found him close and rape him with such valour and yet just one look from Alicia Parkinson was enough for him to nail his feet where he was standing. He was feeling a bit sluggish. He had a rigid schedule to keep. School, homework, and secret meetings that Tom Riddle held in different secret locations. If there's one thing Lucius could spot, it was strong personality. He had no doubt that this man, Tom Riddle, was his ticket to ride.  
  
Alicia soon emerged from the bushes of her mother's garden to see a boy with silver blonde hair, waiting for her on one of their garden chairs.  
  
"What are you doing here?" she whispered as he took her in his arms. "If my father and sister catches us, it will be my death." She wanted to break away but she wanted to stay. She wanted to stay inside Lucius' arms and stay there forever. But she couldn't. She knew couldn't.  
  
"I don't want your sister. I want you, " he whispered back as he kissed her softly and ran his fingers through her hair. "Run away with me. I have enough money in my Gringott's account. We can withdraw from it before my father could even realized I've disgraced him."  
  
"Is that what I am? The source of your disgrace." Alicia looked at him, pained by the realization.  
  
"You are my life. My very breath. I need you with me now more than ever," he said, holding her closer. "Tom Riddle. He speaks such truth. We can follow him, cleanse this world and make it perfect for our children to live in."  
  
"That, I cannot do." Alicia broke away from Lucius' embrace and looked away. "That man is trouble, Lucius. He's got these delusions of --I don't know-- it seems like he's almost mad. Can't you see, Lucius? He's just using you, enticing you with his words to lure him for you to do his dirty work. I don't think I can live a life like that, Lucius."  
  
"Not even with me?" he asked, still not letting go of his stance. Without a doubt, she knew heart was willing to follow Lucius Malfoy to wherever he would lead her regardless of what might happen but her mind told her that she should've known better. She looked at him and held him as tight as she could then looked at his face one last time, engraving image of his blond hair, illuminating the moonlight and his silvery eyes looking at her lovingly. An image that would be forever tattooed on her mind whenever she closed her eyes.  
  
"I cannot make you give up your dreams for me, Lucius." Alicia's voice started to break down, untangling herself from the very person she loved. "And I cannot give up my dreams for you," She lied as she fled back to her room, knowing that was the last time she would be able to see Lucius Malfoy in years.  
  
Alicia went on to pursue her dreams and met a timid young man by the name of Angelo Hawthorne. He was decent, from a very wealthy family in the cosmetology community. He loved her dearly and provided for her enough to temporarily forget the pain she experienced from Lucius Malfoy. Though they never had children, they were happy. When news came that Lucius Malfoy married a wealthy young lady by the name of Narcissa, a girl she recognized from the lower years, her sister begged her to introduce Angelo's brother to her. Both desperate and old, they married and produced a daughter named Eunice, whom her sister vowed to use as her vessel to get the Malfoy name that she claimed to be rightfully hers. Alicia numbed herself and centered her frustrations to the only one who kept her alive. But fate has been cruel to her, as she woke one morning, receiving news that her husband was killed in an attack at a show in Hogsmeade by Lord Voldemort with no other than Lucius Malfoy by his side. Though no one managed to pin point the culprit of the attack, she knew and she did nothing. It embittered her. The very man she loved was the man she had to hate. It never seemed to end. No matter where she went, she couldn't escape. Even her dreams were haunted by the image of a Young Lucius Malfoy, under the moon and holding her tight.  
  
"Someday," she said under her breath, "You will ache like I ache."  
  
**PANSY**  
  
I brought my luggage down and shivered as I reached the end of the staircase. It was five in the morning and I haven't had a decent night's sleep. It had taken me the whole night to pack my things, a bit irritated at Draco's flamboyant idea of a comeback. Upon arriving back at Hogwarts after the Christmas break, Draco came marching in, in all his "The CAPTAIN is BACK" glory, always pertaining to me as _The ASSISTANT_. Yesterday, I've been completely annoyed with him, with the same fire as I had as before. **_I am looking forward to giving that git a piece of my mind one of these days._**  
  
Professor Snape called me out of my Divination's Class and asked to talk to me in his dungeon. According to him, representatives of each house will be asked to become a Quidditch ambassador to the children of St Mungo's. I refused at first, with the image of orphaned children looking up at me. I hardly felt charitable these days, especially when I'm a bit annoyed at some high-and-mighty blond ingrate who was now walking unguarded while his two idiotic cronies were snogging mine. I sneered disgustedly at the thought. I didn't even want to think about what Millicent and Blaise were smoking that they decided to submit themselves to suicide. Professor Snape reminded me about the immediate consequence of costing the house two hundred points, both physically and mentally. That was just about enough to change my mind.  
  
"And Draco? He's not going, right?" I asked, wondering if I wanted a Yes or a No.  
  
"He's the least of your worries now, Parkinson," Professor Snape answered, showing me out the door.  
  
Professor Snape told me that he would be fetching me in the common room at exactly 5 am to set out on a journey by coach. As one cannot Apparate in and out of Hogwarts, we had to travel by other means. With a little confrontation with my suitcase down the stairs, I sat on the green couch, tired and trying to block every memory it was reminding me of. The fire gave out a nice warmth, making me a bit sleepy. But sleeping in this couch gave me even more memories. Evil memories that should be deleted. Discarded. Ignored.  
  
Such a thought seemed to be impossible and further proved as a familiar voice spoke from behind me.  
  
"What are you doing awake?" he walked in front of me, freshly dressed and proper. I suddenly felt a bit conscious of the way I looked. No human should look that good in this ungodly time of the day. "Aren't you supposed to be taking off your beauty cream or something?"  
  
"Official Quidditch business, " I answered knowingly. " I'm an ambassador to St Mungo's. Professor Dumbledore's nutty ideas." I turned to him questioningly. "What about you? Aren't you supposed to be finishing your beauty sleep?"  
  
**_PLEASE DON'T SAY YOU'LL BE GOING, TOO.  
_**  
"I'm an ambassador as well," he answered nonchalantly. "I AM the Captain, you realize. Besides, I hardly need the beauty sleep. Anymore of those and I'd be too perfect."**_  
_**  
"I thought there wasn't such a thing."  
  
"You're right," he answered then moved his hand over his robes. "My wand. Look after my things, Pans. I'll meet up with you soon."  
  
I closed my eyes and prayed for strength. It's not because he was handsome even at this time of the day, it wasn't because he was built like a Quidditch player without all the scratches in his smooth skin.  
  
**_It was the way he said my name. I've always been just Parkinson to him. Like Crabbe and Goyle. Just Parkinson._**   
  
I regained my thoughts back.  
  
**_He thinks he can win me this way. Calling me by my first name as though I meant more now. I am not falling for this ploy._**  
  
And maybe if I keep repeating this lie, I might just believe myself.  
  
Professor Snape just brushed me off when I considered to bring up my problems on having Draco along during the trip and proceeded to lead us to the school courtyard where I saw Justin Finch-Fletchley, Susan Bones, Lisa Turpin, Terry Boot and **_of course, who could miss that red hair which is in dire need of highlights?_** Ginny Weasley and Saint Potter. Potter gave me a disgruntled look under those thick glasses of his, placing a protective arm on Ginny. I just had to give in to my eye rolling, seeing just how paranoid he'd been acting before stepping foot inside the Slytherin Coach.  
  
"Hiding behind little Weasley's skirt again, Potter?" Draco flashed his smirk, following me inside the coach, ignoring Harry's comeback remarks. He closed the coach door and sat across me.  
  
**_Do not talk to him. Look out the window. The view out the window will not get you in trouble._**  
  
The coach started to move and I struggled to look at the rubble on the road as best as I could.  
  
"My hands are simply red," he declaimed dramatically, massaging and rubbing his hands against each other. "Susan Bones have been looking at me with a disturbed look on her face. I think she has a rather inaccurate impression of my manliness, I'm afraid."  
  
I doubted that. No woman with eyes could have formed an inaccurate impression of Draco's manliness. **_CONCENTRATE ON THE VIEW OUTSIDE!_**  
  
"I hear she's been reading too much romance novels? Do you ever read those?"  
  
"Never," I answered firmly, still trying to find something interesting out the window. "I haven't got the patience for them."  
  
"Espionage novels?"  
  
"Ha. The world will come crashing down first," I lied. **_Wow, two lies in the space of ten seconds. With this rate, I could get struck by lightning in any point of this coach ride._** " I've only got time to read up on school stuff. You know, school books. Hexing techniques. How to ignore someone as annoying as the person in front of you--"  
  
"You're such a stud," he said with a laugh.  
  
"I have a reputation to maintain."  
  
"And so I have heard." He yawned.  
  
This time I could refuse to look at him. This was definitely new. "Oh? Who from?"  
  
"Your Aunt Elinore. She was complaining how someone daft should marry you and saddle you with dozens of kids for the sake of her cousin's health. A backhanded compliment, of course, seeing that your summer goal is to drive your father completely mad, but it's still a compliment."  
  
I grumbled softly but I was pleased, in a way. But then, my Aunt Elinore didn't really mean to compliment me, she meant to say that to compare me to oh-so-perfect Eunice and make me look ever more inappropriate to everyone else. **_What do I care anyway? She's an old biddy. Besides, Eunice and Draco are a match made in aristocrat hell. They're perfect for each other. Blond and Brainless._**  
  
"Of course that's probably meant to be used to the benefit of my dear cousin, Eunice. You should have gone to dinner over at their house. I'm sure they're the only ones who enjoys your company now that Crabbe and Goyle are busy with my two roommates."  
  
"I'd rather run out of hair gel," he replied, looking a bit miffed. "Her mother fondled me at my father's party. AT THE PARTY, mind you. So, no, I am definitely not going to dinner at Eunice's house."  
  
I wanted to jump for joy and slap that answer at Eunice's face. Slap it until her face gets so red it can pass for a ripe tomato.  
  
I couldn't stop a small smile. "That's really a compliment, you know. She doesn't just grope anyone."  
  
"I'd rather be snubbed."  
  
"Are you sure they will be alright, Albus?" Severus Snape fidgeted around his robe, wiping his sweaty hands discreetly. He has just sent the offspring of two people who could hand him straight to the pit of his death, all because of Albus Dumbledore's idea of school handling.  
  
"I am quite confident that they will, Severus," Albus Dumbledore smiled with the same twinkle on his eye.  
  
"What if they try to Apparate back here? They'll get splinched!" the younger wizard asked worriedly.  
  
"We will monitor their every move. Do not worry." Dumbledore placed a reassuring hand over Snape's shoulder. "Pixie Dust Candy?"  
  
Snape just looked at his superior, not quite sure what to reply. "I have to go back to my classes, Professor."  
  
"Ah, yes. Indeed." The old wizard nodded to permit his Potions Professor to head back to his dungeon.  
  
**DRACO  
  
_Why are you even going through with this?_  
  
**I came out of my dormitory to sound of a certain person cursing. I walked through the hallway and stop just shy of the edge of the grand staircase, curious on what Pa--PARKINSON was up to. Her silent whispers immediately assaulted my ears.  
  
"Damn you, you evil piece of clunk. I am going to 'incendio-ize' you if you don't start co-operating right! Go down the stairs, you dirty little box! Where are the bloody house elves?!?"  
  
I had to indulge in a grin. It was no wonder that men were petrified of her tough reputation, especially if she talk to her suitors that way she talked to her harmless suitcase. She was adorable.  
  
**_Must... stop... thinking.. kissing...senseless..._**  
  
No, that wouldn't do. Not if I want to have something inside my pants by the end of the school year plus there's the simple fact that she has set her mind on Galen.  
  
**_WHY? MY COUSIN IS A COMPLETE WUSS. _**  
  
Okay, so my cousin isn't a complete wuss. He could hunt, fish, and those other things they do at the Royal Country Club but I know he couldn't tell a moisturizing cream from an exfoliating cream. I have my doubts that he knew how to pick his clothing. And he was a Black. We all know who the other remaining Black was related to. No, Galen wasn't for Pa---Parkinson.  
  
Now to convince her of that.  
  
Carefully.  
  
She smiled from across the room, looking satisfied at my mortification. "That's really a compliment, you know. She doesn't just grope anyone."  
  
**_This is what I get for opening up my deepest fears. A laugh to prove the weight of my embarrassment._**  
  
"I'd rather be snubbed," I said, hiding the fact that I was deeply disturbed. "And what about you? You seemed to have enchanted my ignorant cousin into asking you to dinner. What is that about?"  
  
I have set out my bait. I am going to catch a fish that will probably eat me alive.  
  
"He's cute," she noted. "Yeah, I might just a consider it when we get back."  
  
"Cute. In_deed_."  
  
Our coach stopped abruptly, causing her to come flying towards me.  
  
"Ahhh!" she yelled as she was launched face forward to my direction. I caught her just in time, holding her as tight as I could.  
  
"Get off me!" she exclaimed, pushing herself away.  
  
"Excuse me?" I protested. "But you were ON me! I should be the one screaming bloody murder here! Or at least RAPE!"  
  
**_This woman is unbeliveable._**  
  
We both sat up straight as I felt the warm feeling that I really despise. I knew my cheeks were not pale anymore. I had to take the awkward situation before it gets out of hand.  
  
"What happened? Why did we stop?" I peeked through the window and saw the rest of the students go down from their coaches. She opened the door, stepped down and slammed the door against my face.  
  
"OUCH!" I cried, clasping my hand on my nose. "BLOODY HELL!" I screamed before opening the door and stepped down the coach, seeing her smiling at the injury she has caused.  
  
"Whatever happened to DON'T SLAM THE DOOR ON THE PERSON WHO JUST SAVED YOU FROM EJECTING FROM YOUR BLOODY SEAT!?"  
  
"Oh yes. Sorry. I think I missed that one." She grinned, savoring every moment.  
  
"Oi! What's going on?" Justin asked, approaching the group.  
  
"I don't know," Scarface Potter answered, as always, trying to act as though he's in charge. "The coaches suddenly stopped."  
  
"And you managed to come up with that conclusion alone, Potter?" I yelled, almost on the verge of laughing at his blatant stupidity. "Why, I obviously didn't give you much credit. Or at least give, Weasley here, HER credit. She may be as poor as rag but I'm quite sure no one can be as docile as you are."  
  
"Really, Malfoy. You have to find some new material. You're getting rather boring," the four-eyed freak answered.  
  
"Please," Susan Bones interrupted our little banter with her arms crossed above her (**_not so developed, I may add_**) chest. "We have no time for your ritual display of manliness. We are getting bored of it and what's worse is that WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THE HECK WE ARE."  
  
"She's right, you know," Terry squeaked from behind.  
  
"Thank you for the emphasis, Boot. It's very enlightening," Paahhn---Parkinson snapped, glaring at him.  
  
"There seems nothing wrong with the coaches, except the fact that they wont run," Weasley girl said, trying to get to the subject at hand.  
  
**_What kind of logic do they teach over at the Gryffindor Common Room?_**  
  
"Can't we just Apparate back to Hogwarts?" Lisa Turpin, a girl I recognized from Ravenclaw, suggested.  
  
"That's such a brilliant idea," the voice behind me said. "If you want to get splinched. Did everybody miss the sign that said HOGWARTS: NO APPARATING IN AND OUT? And from Ravenclaw, out of all houses!"  
  
"Do you have a better idea, Parkinson?" Justin asked, in a way I didn't appreciate. She glared at him for a minute but didn't answer.  
  
"I'm sure we can stay here for awhile until help comes," Ginny said. "They'll figure out that something's wrong if we didn't get to St Mungo's in time."  
  
"I AM MOST CERTAINLY NOT STAYING IN THIS WILDERNESS FOR THE NIGHT!" Parkinson exclaimed, raising her hand in exasperation.  
  
"We'll you better start walking, Parkinson, because it's the only way out. We don't know where we are so you can't Apparate to another point or did you miss the 'APPARATE FROM A PLACE YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH AND BE SPLINCHED' sign?" Lisa mocked Parkinson, using her own words against her.  
  
"URGH." She stormed to our coach, defeated.  
  
I followed her in, fearing the destruction of all of my things, knowing how her wand seems to look very friendly when she's angry.  
  
"I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M STUCK HERE, ALONE, WITH THOSE INGRATES!" she pounded her seat furiously.  
  
"ALONE?" I looked at her. "WHAT THE HELL AM I THEN?"  
  
"YOU'RE MY PERSONALITY DISORDER HALLUCINATION."  
  
"Ha, I should've guessed. I always thought you we're a tad bit nuts."  
  
"SHUT UP."  
  
"Stop being juvenile. It's not the end of the world," I said. "In case that excuse of a brain of yours is still working, maybe the word 'Wand' will set the tune for you."  
  
"Maybe if YOUR excuse of a brain WAS working at all, you would know that it's not safe to use magic around forests like these. But then again if you want to kill yourself, I sure hell am not going to complain."  
  
"Now why would I want to deprive the world of my beauty?" I asked her but was rebuffed by her eye rolling. "Fine, stay here. See if I give you any candy."  
  
I marched into the trees until it was far enough for me not to be tempted to run back with second thoughts. No, sir. Pansy Parkinson will NOT get the satisfaction of my retreat. But these woods; I have not seen anything so desolate since my little detention trip with the three musketeers during our first year. There was fog around even at this time of the day. I stopped as soon as I reached a spot with good amount of space to cast a spell.  
  
"Ohhhh Paaarrrkiiinssooonnnn..." I yelled in the air. "These chocolates are going to be mightily yummy. It's too bad I never learned to share."  
  
It was silent until an echo arrived that sounded very much like "bugger off." I snickered stupidly. **_That's one point for Draco on the score board!_** I pulled my wand out of my robes, swished it in the open space and uttered a spell as I flicked my wand.  
  
_Poof!_

Smoke covered my vision as I waived my hands around it, pushing the cloud of smoke away. When it cleared, a box of my favorite chocolate was sitting on the ground, making my mouth water. I hurriedly opened the box when the earth beneath me began shaking.  
  
**_PANSY_**

The ground began to shake, one pound at a time. I stood up and called for Draco. No Answer. I got up my feet and ran towards the direction he went earlier.  
  
"Draco?" I hollered. "Where are you?" Still no reply.  
  
**_Oh no. That can't be good.  
  
_**I brushed through the branches as fast as I could, hoping to find him somewhere. My heart was pounding as the amount of worry increased. **_What has that ingrate gotten himself into? Great. Now people are going to think I really killed him._**  
  
I swiped through a bush and found Draco standing stiffly with his chocolate box upturned and the pieces were on the ground.  
  
"What--" I stopped when he gripped my hand from behind him. I looked at what he was staring at and let out a weak gasp at what I saw. It was a huge troll-like creature, definitely Hagrid's pet material. Big, Green, and Scary. I tried to move but it's eyes seemed to fix itself on us.  
  
"I know you don't put my opinions in high regard," Draco whispered, slowly backing in toward me. "But I think this is the time where--" he grabbed my hand and started running. "--_WE RUN FOR OUR LIVES!_"  
  
I nearly stumbled as Draco sprinted like a lunatic, dragging me behind. Bushes and twigs were scratching my skin as I was hauled across them.  
  
"Do you know where were going? Draco! He's still behind us!" He pulled me harder as he tried to run faster. I couldn't keep up and I stumbled and fell on the dirt, hopelessly trying to get myself up. Draco looked back and his eyes widened as the creature approached us. All of a sudden, he scooped me from the ground and started running again.  
  
"Put me down at once, you obnoxious self centered--"  
  
"NOT NOW, PARKINSON!" he scolded, panting as he headed towards the opening of the woods. I looked over his should and saw the creature holding out it's arm, trying to reach out and grab us.  
  
"DRACO! DUCK!" I yelled in fear.  
  
"Duck? Where?" He stopped to look around, causing the creature's hand to miss us, unable to stop on time.

"RUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!" I screamed louder into Draco's ear as he started running towards our coach.  
  
**_This is it. I'm going to die and it's his entire bloody fault! I refuse to die ugly!_**  
  
I closed my eyes and accepted our fate, praying that my parents would at least have the decency to have a closed coffin ceremony. In the dark, I waited for the pain when the creature would take bite off my arm or my leg.  
  
**_Good bye, cruel world._**  
  
"Ha! I knew it! I've read about these things before. They're too attached to their habitat to step away from the woods," I heard Draco's voce boom triumphantly. My eyes remained closed, still deciphering whether I was in another mid-crossing-to-the-next-life dimension or rather, I should say, dementia.  
  
"Are you two all right?" Lisa Turpin's voice entered, almost breathless.  
  
I opened my eyes and immediately saw his silvery gray eyes, despite the fuzzy blur. "Hello, Sunshine," he said.  
  
A sudden surge of fear and embarrassment washed over me as I smacked him hard in the shoulder. "Put me down this instant!"

I felt my face fluster as I wiggled to get out of his arms furiously. I landed on the ground and arranged myself before facing the other students.  
  
"What? No 'My Hero! My Hero!' outbursts? I carried you out of the woods and you're not exactly as light as stick," Draco protested, stepping away from my big movements.  
  
My eyes widened at his remark.  
  
"Excuse me? If I didn't come looking for you, you would've been dead and marred beyond recognition. That would have been another chance for me to get rid of you permanently but of I went and this is how I'm repaid. I am never going to do any good deeds again." I stomped my foot in disappointment.  
  
"Touching."  
  
"What happened here? Was anybody hurt? What was it?" Potter appeared after Ginny, who looked surprisingly worried about our welfare.  
  
"One at a time, Potty or you might have convulsions for overworking that little brain of yours." Draco shrugged. "I simply wanted my chocolates. If I'm going to be stuck with Ms. Crazy Bitch right here and the whole lot of you, I might as well have some kind of consolation price."  
  
Everyone grunted in disbelief, either slapping their foreheads or shaking their heads while rolling their eyes.  
  
"Are you insane?" Susan Bones exclaimed angrily, barely skipping a beat.  
  
"It's been suggested," I said.  
  
" Let's move out, people. It's just Malfoy." Justin lazily treaded back to where he and Susan has set up a camp site as the rest went on to do the same.  
  
"And what was that supposed to mean?" Draco turned to me for an answer. I glared at him, trying to prevent myself from ripping his throat off.  
  
"What? Being prefect do comprise with hard work. I cannot just starve there. My cheeks will sink! Don't they get the picture?" he reasoned out.  
  
"A picture paints a thousand words. Take your pick."  
  
"For someone who doesn't know a thousand words, you sure are brave enough to use that metaphor," he smirked.  
  
"I know two words, Malfoy, and the first word starts with 'F'".  
  
Night was beginning to fall and the two Slytherins sat on the opposite side of the coach, randomly growling whenever their sights crossed each other. Draco Malfoy clutched his stomach subtly, fearing that his hunger will be a bit more audible than usual. He has never skipped a meal before nor has he experienced being hungry for this long. Loud stomach growling, according to his parents, were a sign of poverty and he would rather die than to allow that to happen. The silence was broken when they both jumped in surprise upon a knock at the coach's door. They looked at each other, trying to see who would move first and waited for the second batch of knocks. Pansy rolled her eyes in defeat and crouched forward to open the door that revealed, the most unexpected person in the other side of the door.  
  
"What do you want, Scarface?" Draco scowled upon seeing his nemesis.

"We found food. This should keep us all night," Harry Potter said flatly, trying to be as cordial as possible before outstretching his palms that carried two eggs.  
  
"Eggs?" Pansy asked.  
  
"Yes. And if you don't want them, we would be more than happy to eat them." Harry gave Pansy an annoyed look.  
  
"What kinds of eggs are they? How can we be sure that they're not some creature offspring that would send its big green mother hunting us down? Is it poultry or cold blooded? Because if it's snake eggs or some reptile egg I can use the yolk to exfoliate my skin. God knows who clogged up my pores are by now. Or how could we be sure they're edible? You do have the potential to assassinate me," Draco investigated, looking at Harry in the eye, trying to look for any signs of deceit.  
  
"What?" Harry crunched his eyebrows together. "They're bloody eggs. Chicken. Duck. Does it matter? It's food!"  
  
Pansy raised her hand to silence the two boys. "Look, Potter. I know this is a concept that most of you less fortunate socially unrefined people would find hard to visualize but we have needs but until then," she turned to the blonde boy beside her, "we will just have to compromise."  
  
Draco gave her a look of protest while Harry smugly handed over the two eggs before marching back to the Gryffindor Camp.  
  
Pansy stepped out of the coach to observe everybody, followed by Draco, whom as soon as Harry was far from earshot range, grabbed the two eggs from his housemate.

"Well." Draco cleared his throat, looking at the eggs quizzically. "How in bloody hell are we going to cook this without using sodding magic?"  
  
Pansy disregarded Draco's whining and looked at what Harry Potter was doing from ten feet away. Drastic times called for drastic measures. Harry picked up two stones and pounded them a couple of times over a pile of twigs and in a few minutes, he and Ginny had a small fire in front of them. Draco's jaw dropped as he saw the fire, standing up with a disbelieving look.  
  
"How the hell did he do that?" he stammered, straining his neck to check if Harry had his wand out.  
  
"You have no idea how incompetent you are." Pansy turned around and started looking for two rocks. "Without me, you have been dead a few minutes upon arriving here."  
  
"Without you, I would have less problems to deal with." Draco nodded at Pansy. "You do realize that you are still in debt after the deal. I saved you from that...Creature. AGAIN." He pointed out.  
  
"That doesn't count because if it wasn't for your hard-headedness, we wouldn't have been attacked in the first place!" Pansy growled back, setting down the rocks and proceeded into finding twigs. "Now make yourself useful and find some dried twigs."  
  
"You're asking me? To pick up dirty twigs?" the blonde boy asked in exasperation. "A Malfoy never submits to such work!"  
  
"Then a Malfoy would just have to starve to death now, wouldn't he?"  
  
He smirked one last time but followed obediently as his stomach grumbled inside him once again. He picked up a piece of dried wood and look as though he was about to die. "Oh the bacteria! The horror of it all!"  
  
"Try being in a den of mud and FROGS." Pansy shrugged, who was suddenly reminded of the incident and infuriated herself even more.  
  
"Glad you had the time of your life," he answered, picking up another twig with less contact on his skin as possible.  
  
After gathering the dried twigs and clamping them in one place, they both stared at what they have accomplished.  
  
"Now what?" Draco asked, still wiping his fingers on his robe.  
  
"Potter took the two rocks and pounded them together," Pansy said, reaching for the two rocks. "Watch and learn, nancy boy."  
  
"Why do I have a feeling this is why Montague and Warrington were feeling suicidal after Quidditch practices with you?" Draco walked closer and squatted next to Pansy.  
  
"Because Men don't like to hear what they're doing wrong from a woman, being the ignorant little low lives that they are." She pounded the rocks irritably.  
  
Draco took the rocks slowly from Pansy and pounded them once above the dried twigs before the pile of wood caught fire. "Exactly. Men want to feel that they're needed, that they can provide in their own terms. What are going to use as pans?"  
  
Pansy looked down the fire they created, furrowing her brows as she thought. Draco watched her, letting a smile pass when he was sure she was too busy thinking and staring at the blazing flames.  
  
"Do you have your bathroom cup?" she asked.  
  
"Well, yes," Draco replied, still unsure on what Pansy was thinking.  
  
"Where is it?"  
  
"It's in the side of my suitcase, where I keep my toiletries."  
  
"Go grab them. Mine would be on a green pouch just right above my clothes," Pansy said, waving her hands over the little campfire to spread the flames. "I'll be able to tell if you dig any deeper so don't you even think of doing so."  
  
"Come back to Earth, Soot Hands." Draco turned to leave, not sure why he's submitting to do what she asked him to. "I have no intentions of examining your collection Grannie Panties. The mere idea of me following you is bad enough as it is. More disturbing ideas are not needed."  
  
"Don't hate me 'cause I can wear them," Pansy hollered.  
  
"Don't worry, I already do," Draco called from inside the coach. "With or without Grannie panties."  
  
He snapped the locks of their cases open and started looking for his bathroom cup then proceeded to look for Pansy's. Sure enough, her green ouch was resting right on top of her neatly folded clothes next to a black notebook, which he suspected to be her Diary.  
  
Tempted, Draco immediately stole a glance out of the window to make sure Pansy was still busy building a bigger campfire. Seeing the opportunity, he grabbed the Diary and opened it to the front page.  
  
"The key to my success." he grinned. "Reveal yourself," he commanded the diary with a whisper.  
  
_Password?_ The ink on the diary wrote.  
  
"If I were Parkinson, what would my password be?" Draco thought. "Die Draco. Die?" he whispered to the Diary once again and was surprised to see it fill its pages on its own.  
  
"Insulting but fairly predictable." Draco smirked, browsing and shuffling the pages back and forth. "Insulting, nonetheless. Now, for a little payback. Diary, find all entries that contain the words 'Draco, Malfoy and Love.'"  
  
Then, the Diary started to flip back to the first page and indexed all the entries by page number.  
  
"Ha, 300 pages found." Draco gave a soft snicker. "I knew it, she's obsessed with me. Let's see then..." he read through the list of entry titles, running the tip of his finger through the page until he gave a silent exclamation. "Aha! _To Draco_, page 246," he said as the pages flipped to the said page.  
  
_To Draco,  
  
DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!_

_DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!_

_DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!_

_DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!_

_DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!_

_DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!_

_DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!_

"Ohhhkay, back to Page One please." Draco shook his head as the book went back to its index page.  
  
"Let's try this one. Page 360." He crossed his fingers as the page flapped until it reached the right page.  
_  
How do I loathe thee?  
  
Let me count the ways._

"Ah and yet another one." He rolled his eyes as he tried to flip the page when something caught his attention.  
  
_--Wednesday, January 4, 4th Year  
  
I hate the way you walk  
Even worse when you start to talk  
I hate it when you notice Granger's bushy hair  
yet fail to realize that I'm even there  
  
I hate how self centered you are  
and that I can't hex you from afar  
I hate it when you smirk all the bloody time  
SMIRKING SHOULD BE A RUDDY CRIME!  
  
I hate the way things remind me of you  
Malfoy sodding Malfoy everywhere I turn  
I hate the way I can't seem to hate you at all  
Oh well, What the hell, I can always learn.  
  
_Draco crunched his eyebrows together in confusion, unable to determine what her entry meant.  
  
"MALFOY! WHY ARE YOU TAKING SO LONG?!?" Pansy yelled from outside, making Draco jump. "If you've been touching my things, I will snap you in half and make it look like a bloody accident." She stomped angrily towards their coach.  
  
"Shit." Draco panicked as he grabbed his wand and uttered _'Finite Incantatem'_ and tossed Pansy's diary back in place right before she opened the door.  
  
"I saw a glow right before I opened the door. What did you touch?" Pansy raised her eyebrows, looking suspiciously at Draco, who was holding their bathroom cups, trying to look as clueless and innocent as he can be.  
  
"Really, Parkinson. You have to get over your little fantasy of me caressing your old woman's underwear. It's not healthy, you know." Draco laughed as he got down from the coach and walked passed the agitated girl and took her reaction as another point on his scoreboard. "It's just a simple cleaning spell, Parkinson. No need to get all shirty."  
  
"You've gone completely bonkers, you blundering idiot! Or have you forgotten that WE nearly became _SOMETHING _else's dinner?" Pansy slammed the coach's door and followed the whistling boy. "And who's fault is it? Let's see what's behind door number 1! Oh! Look! Its Draco Malfoy! How about door number 2? Its Draco Sodding Malfoy again! Why, he sure shows up in the Stupidest PLACES! And what the hell do you mean by 'Shirty'? Is that even a word?"  
  
Draco paused. "Do you hear that?"  
  
"WHAT?" Pansy looked right and left and then towards Draco. "Malfoy if this one of your stupid games, I will---"  
  
"Shhh..." Draco clamped his hand over Pansy' mouth. "Quiet."  
  
Pansy shook her head to get away from Draco's clasp and swatted his hand.  
  
"I don't hear anything." she whispered irritably.  
  
"EXACTLY!" Draco burst into laughter and started walking again. "Oh no! Draco! Save me! Same me from the big bad monster!" he whimpered mockingly in a high pitched voice. "Bloody uptight paranoid crazy woman," he added in his regular voice.  
  
Pansy grunted as pulled her wand and pointed it at Draco, feeling her hand shake in frustration then threw both of her hands in the air. "URGH!" she then reasserted her hand then placed it back on her robe pocket after another "ARRRRGH!!"  
  
She walked a little bit faster to catch up with Draco, grabbed the cups from him and smacked him as the boy chuckled in satisfaction, watching Pansy march into the darkness.  
  
**PANSY  
  
_What did I do to deserve this? WHAT?  
  
_** I crushed the stones beneath my shoes as I headed towards a nearby spring to get water to boil our eggs in.  
  
"I SAVED YOUR LIFE" I copied Draco's low voice as I dipped the cups down the water angrily. "Well I think I'd rather be bloody dead! Besides." I raised my voice loud enough for him to hear it. "I'M NOT THE ONE WHO SCREAMED LIKE A BLEEDING GIRL WITH A BAD CASE OF SORE THROAT!"  
  
I threw punches in the air in order to release my impending heart attack on my way back to our campfire, where I found Draco watching my nervous breakdown in delight.  
  
"You really should show your dance steps on the next Slytherin gathering." He chuckled. "They're oh so... precise."  
  
"Excellent! More fuel to the Make-Pansy-Miserable fire." I placed the porcelain cups down the burning wood, making it spark and crackle. "So how do you like your Draco? I prefer mine chopped, marred and roasting in an open fire!"  
  
"Who? Hold on for a second. Did you just say 'My Draco'?" he grinned as he dropped the eggs on each cup. "Jumping into proprietorship quickly, aren't we Parkinson?"  
  
By this time, the effect of what I had just said made my blood rush to my face, adding to the heat that came from the fire.  
  
"That's not what I meant, you know that." I coughed defensively as I turn around to sit on a log to wait for the water to boil over, hoping it was the only that does. Apparently, Draco wasn't going to make it easy.  
  
"Know WHAT, Parkinson?" he sat next to me, still grinning like a mindless buffoon...with twinkling eyes and ---  
  
"That you want me? Can't get me out of your system? That you want me to wash your Grannie Panties?" he crooned. "Oh, I have been quite aware of your worshipping."  
  
"For someone who claims to be frightened of my undergarments, you sure are fixated on giving yourself mental images of them." I brushed him off, trying to hide my almost disgruntled, mortified look. Without thinking, I quickly added. "And so you are aware, I don't wear such things."  
  
Draco raised his eyebrow as I gasped in sheer incomparable horror.  
  
"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Lady Parkinson.."  
  
**_Pansy Meltdown! Pansy Meltdown! May day! May day_**!  
  
"That was ABSOLUTELY NOT what I meant!" I slapped the bastard in anger. "You Slap god-sodding slap peroxided slap perv---" I retracted my arm to slug Draco square in the face when I missed and wobbled uncontrollably until I fell forward. Only I didn't hit the ground.  
  
"Caught you," Draco said softly, almost like a husky whisper, his face only inches away from mine.  
  
**_No, Pansy. It's a trap. A trap where you wouldn't want to be locked in permanently, as enticing as bondage might sound._**  
  
As I was momentarily immobilized in Draco's arms, nauseated by the warmth of breath closing in on me....  
  
_fizzle  
  
**Blasted Eggs.  
**_  
"Get out of my face, I'm going to eat my dinner." I pushed his face away as I helped myself to go get our hard-boiled eggs before I managed another disastrous move.  
  
**DRACO**  
  
**_Bloody, Bullocky, Buggering Eggs._**  
  
I gave out a deep sigh to make up for the two minutes that I seemed to have temporarily forgotten to breathe as I followed Parkinson to the camp fire.  
  
**_Awkward Silence Dinner Sequence begins in Three... Two... One..._**  
  
She handed me my cup where my newly hard-boiled egg floated about, waiting for its consumption. I sat next to her on the log we were sitting on earlier as stiffly and uncomfortably as it could ever get. I stared at my egg quizzically, wondering hot on earth was I going to peel its shell off.  
  
**_Should I crack it on the ground? Ugh, too dirty. What about my hand? Too soft_**.  
  
I looked on the log, which was so small that it was a wonder that we both managed to fit ourselves in it**_. No, I suppose that wouldn't work_**.I turned to face Parkinson only to find her looking at me as though she was closely examining my forehead**_. Not that I'm worried. I don't ever get spots. Malfoys don't get spots_**.  
  
I copied her and began looking at her forehead that gave me a rather brilliant idea. In my opinion at least.  
  
**_Let's see how hard-headed you really are_**_.  
  
_With one swift move, I trusted my hand towards her, aiming the eggs on her forehead when at the same time, I was experienced an excruciating pain in the area between my eyebrows.  
  
"I'M BLIND! YOU BLINDED ME, YOU EVIL BITCH!" I roared in pain, clutching my hard with my other hand as I staggered across the ground.  
  
"And what? Allow myself to turn into a human egg-cracking device?" Pansy answered sulkily, peeling of the shell of the top part of her egg.  
  
"URGH!" I stood up, gritting my teeth and I turned to her. "You... You…" I stammered, walking back and forth in front of her.  
  
"---are an insufferable, mentally deranged, masochistic, evil bitch from the depths of hell?" Pansy paused from her egg shell peeling and gave me a bored look.  
  
"Yeah… and... and, YOU HAVE BAD HAIR!" I exploded in a rather desperate way. **_Wretched Cow._**_  
  
_"Master Malfoy. You're getting sloppy," she bemused and resumed her egg peeling. "Is this the part where I believe you and burst into tears? There is no way I can have bad hair, we both KNOW that."  
  
**_She does present a valid point._** I exhaled resignedly. **_Oh well, there's only one thing to do._**  
  
_CRACK  
  
_"YEOOOOOWWW!!" Parkinson screamed into the darkness, jumping up and down like a jellybean.  
  
The two Slytherins growled and snarled at each other, still peeling their eggs profusely.  
  
"When will this stupid egg be rid of its ruddy shell?" Draco nearly squeezed his dinner out of his hand. "AND--I have a SPOT," he pointed at the reddening part between his eyebrows for emphasis, "in my bloody forehead."  
  
"So, do I but you don't hear me complaining about it now do you, you daft sod!" said Pansy who was unsuccessful but at least leading the egg peeling race.  
  
"It's been rather clear to me in the past few hours that you are a psychotic, dysfunctional and NON SUPRISINGLY SINGLE woman that is beyond help," Draco said, almost sentimentally. "I feel it is my duty to turn you in as soon as we reach St Mungo's."  
  
"And you are a self-centered, overly exaggerated prima donna who cant find a wife," Pansy retorted, relieved at her now fully naked egg and started to take a bite from it.  
  
"There goes our trust funds," said Draco, in a deeply patronizing manner then finally peeled off the last crack of shell from his egg and began sinking his teeth into the soft white part.  
  
"Although, there are other ways for me to hurt you without the help of magic." Pansy munched down the remaining parts of her egg. "To justify the loss of my wealth, a bit like a consolation of some sort."  
  
"As much as I enjoy the Fault Finding Game that we never seem to get enough of, if you are to kill me, be my guest," Draco trilled. "My father will somehow find a way to terminate me under the grounds of a doomed quest for a wife and lack of self improvement."  
  
"I wonder what its like to be a Weasley." Pansy's lip curled as a picture of her inn Ginny Weasley's clothes appeared in her head.  
  
Draco looked aghast. "I think I'm going to be sick."  
  
"I know. Do you even call those rags 'clothes'? And were we just having a decent conversation?" Pansy said, sounding very surprised. "Draco?"  
  
Draco ran a bit to the left where the sound of liquid splattering down the ground was an indication that he had just lost hid dinner. In seconds, his body fell limp down the ground as though he was spiraling into complete darkness. 


	11. Draco in Distress?

**CHAPTER 11: Draco in Distress?**

**PANSY**

_**Perfect. So much for Pansy the Domestic**._

I don't think I have ever ran that fast in my entire 18 years of existence when I saw Draco's body slump down the ground. My chest was pounding fast and my feet were barely even touching the ground.

"Wake up, please." I said, shaking his motionless body. He fluttered his eyes open and crumpled his face, just like he did when the Hippogriff Buckbeak attacked him back in 3rd year.

"Im dying! Im dying!" he whimpered in pain, rocking side to side while clutching his stomach with both hands.

"Oh stop whining and lie still." I scolded him, trying to steady my voice despite my insides knotting themselves in fear and pain. I lifted his head and rested it in my lap.

"You're hot." I draped my palm over his forehead. Draco forced a weak yet still detectably cocky smile, despite his constant tummy clutching. I got the hint, but I didn't like it. "I meant, you're burning. You know, in a body temperature-y way."

_**A Body Temperature-y way? Ugh. I have got to stop hanging out with Bullstrode**._

"As much as I want to use an argument against you, I am currently having.. ugh.." Draco scrunched his knees closer to his chest. "With…a….stomach ache… FROM HELL!"

I felt his body relax momentarily as he last aching spell passed.

"Just help me get back to the coach..er..pp..plluuu..plllease." Draco tensed up once again. I nodded and slowly helped him inch his way up, letting his weight drape on my shoulders. We wobbled from left to right, constantly having to stop so he could 'lose what was left of his royal Malfoy gut'.

_**I so did not sign up for this.**_

FLASHBACK

"Does it hurt, Draco?"

"Only a little bit."  


_**  
Okay, Okay, so maybe I did. I hope there was a "No-puke-on-expensive-parisian-shoes" clause in the contract because this is just a down right violation of my uptown witch rights**._

We managed to reach the coach, thankfully with clean shoes. I let him lean on the coach a bit for me to freely open to door. He slung his right arm on me and tried to step up onto the coach while I supported him. As soon as we got inside, he fell down his seat, mumbling all sorts of nonsensical phrases.

"Is the dog having porridge again today, Father?" he whispered. I paused from moving our carry ons to my seat to make room for us**. _Err. I mean HIM..because he's sick BUT ONLY because he's sick._**

"Mummy, have you seen my purple underpants?"

**_Purple Underpants? Sadly, even that would probably look sexy on him._**

I ignored Draco despite the newly revealed and sort of tempting revelation of how colorful his undergarments were and spread our blankets to cushion the carpeted coach floor even more.

"I…cant…I cant breathe." I heard him say before a robe fell on my head…then a tied…and sweats.

I pulled the robe off my face, aggravated at realizing that the git has managed into making me his slave for the past 30 minutes and turned around to give him a tongue lashing only to find him shirtless and working on his trousers' buttons.

**_Good Fucking Merlin._**

"What THE BLOODY BLAZES do you think youre doing?" I turned my face back, mortified at the sight of an over exposed Draco. "Put your clothes back on. Have some decency!" I began throwing his clothes back at him without looking.

"Cant…breathe…" he murmured. "Skin…feels like burning."

**_Be reasonable, Pansy. Youre a grown woman of 18. Sooner or later, youre going to hae to see these…things. This is an emergency situation. This doesn't count._**

I breathed in slowly to garner enough strength, closed my eyes and turned around to face Draco.

**_Think happy thoughts, Pansy. Happy Thoughts._**

I opened my eyes to witness Draco peeling his pants off his right leg, exposing his cream white skin. I shut my eyes tightly.

**_Okay. TOO HAPPY._**

I decided it was probably best for me to leave the coach for while until his heat spell has cooled down a bit. For health reasons. Mine, for example.

I tried to find the door latch without opening my eyes as the risk of viewing Draco's naked body was rather high. I fumbled, terrified that my hands would end up opening the wrong knob.

_**Not even in my wildest dreams.. Well maybe in my wildest but NOT NOW**._

I found the latch and freed myself from the presence of the human heat generator. And no, that was not a sexual innuendo.

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The moonlight shone down on Harry and Ginny, as though they were the only people in the world. Ginny snuggled next to the dark haired boy, sharing a cozy warm knitted blanket that her mother made.

"You know what the fire reminds me of, Gin?" Harry looked at his girlfriend lovingly. "Your hair."

Ginny snickered at the idea, half appreciating the sincerity that she saw on Harry's green eyes. "Don't be silly, Harry. I have the same ginger hair as my brothers."

Harry gave in to a little laugh as he ran his fingers through Ginny's soft long hair. Ginny closed her eyes, savoring every stroke.

"No, yours is different. Ron's hair basically just reminds me of a carrot."

"Harry!" Ginny rubbed Harry's stomach, teasingly warning him to stop.

But yours…yours is so…fierce but inviting. The way a moth is drawn to the fire…" he whispered, locking grazes with Ginny and moving closer to her face…

"Sorry to interrupt the Grope Fest" a voice appeared out of nowhere, making Ginny sit straight up in embarrassment and Harry groan in frustration. "Wait, No I'm not because I have to deal with PUKE ON MY SHOES. And for the record, that was worst pick up line I've ever heard."

"Let's step away from your little Pansy world now, okay, Pugface? But, what the hell do we have to do with your shoes?" Harry asked, irritably.

I don't know, Potter. You tell me." Pansy scoffed.

"What is she talking about, Harry?" Ginny asked, giving him a puzzled look.

"No idea." Harry answered.

"Oh don't give me that sort of rubbish, Potter. I know you did something with those eggs you gave Draco and I and now, I have to deal with his disgusting puking and clothe stripping!" Pansy threw her hands in the hair.

"Clothes stripping?" Harry made a mock surprised face.

"That is terrifying." Ginny nodded.

"Mark my words, Potter. If something where to happen to Draco, you will never be known as the 'Boy Who Lived' anymore." Pansy declared before marching back to the Slytherin Coach.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER" Ginny jabbed her finger on Harry's upper belly, causing the boy to wince and giggle from the tickle. "Did you do anything to their eggs?"

"Ofcourse not." Harry protested, though still smiling after recovering from his girlfriends tickle jabs. "They deserve it anyway, ruining my game." His face changed into a sly smile. "Now.. where were we again?"

"I seem to remember something about a moth and fire." Ginny smiled back, closing in on Harry's face.

"Ah yes, I remember now." Harry said before giving Ginny a long sweet kiss.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Draco was sweating and shaking profusely under his green emblem blanket when Pansy returned to their coach. She reached over for a clean towel from her suitcase and started dabbing it softly over Draco's forehead. In her mind, she knew she was scared but she had to stay focused, in case any complications might occur asides the basic symptoms of food poisoning. When Draco seemed to be asleep and settled in, Pansy decided to slip under the blanket right next to him to get some sleep as well. Her body was exhausted but her mind kept her awake. All of a sudden, Pansy felt an arm drape on top of her. On impulse, she quickly whirled from her position and sat on top of Draco, poking his neck with her wand.

"Give me a reason why I should Avada Kedavra youre ass to kingdom come. Five words or Less." she sneered, jabbing the wand a little harder his the boy's throat.

"Need.. Heat...To...Live...BITCH!" Draco coughed out, shivering underneath his blanket.

"You just had that 5th word in, didnt you?" Pansy hid her wand back into her pocket.

"Getting...comfy?" Draco managed to get out, even with his chattering teeth and his shuddering. He felt weaker than he has ever had before but there was no way he was going to get undermined by none other than Pansy Parkinson. His skin felt like it was being boiled slowly but Chills were running up and down his spine and his joints, almost like he was being broken in half.

Shocked at her compromising position, wide-eyed Pansy propped herself off Draco immediately. "I'll..I'll take a walk.. er outside." She tried climbing up from her position but Draco tugged her slightly.

"No, please stay." he requested, still shivering. "Please stay with me." 

"Alright," Pansy answered, still unsure of what to do and how to take it while trying to lay back down the make shift bed theyve made on the coach's floor. She turned to Draco to assess his condition, and saw that it has not improved. She took her towel once again and dabbed it over his forehead, his neck and his chest, to prevent any cause of this furthering into pnuemonia.

"Im cold." Draco whimpered. Clenching his grip on Pansy's hand even tighter.

Pansy was unsure of what to do. Shes never taken care of anything, let alone nurse something back to health. He obviously needed more warmth yet his skin felt like you could cook something in it. She was frightened and on the edge of panic but could not allow herself any of those liberties. After battling her mental hesitancies, she slid her arm under Draco's nape, lifting him up to a more upright position, so his weight could rest on her shoulder while the other hand could be free to continue dabbing him with a wet towel.

Draco fought to open his eyes, and when he did, he found himself drowning in a pool of brown eyes that has never harbored that much concern and fear. His sight drew down to her aquiline nose and down to her lips that he never thought would look any more crimson and soft than they usually would. With the strength he had left in him, lifted his chin to make his lips touch Pansy's and when they kissed, the chills were replaced with a burning sensation coming down from his head to his toes, rising up and falling down with a speed he has ever felt before. Maybe it was the heat spell. But the kiss, like he feared, was not meant to last.

"Im...Im.. sorry." Pansy backed away, breathing heavily and petrified out of her wits. "Youre sick. You dont know what youre doing. Lets.. uh.. Lets go back to sleep, alright?" she slipped away her arms from his body and drapped the blanket back over him. She wiped his forehead once again before setting the towel down and turning her back against him.

And in the dark, the cracking of both their hearts seemed audible in the silence.

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_**Author's Notes:  
**Hey Hey! Its been awhile now, huh. Fear not, Folks for it is my intention to see this story through its finish.  
Its getting hot and heavy on both side of the camps but I wont be busting the big guns of S-E-X just about yet. Who would want the ice cream when im giving them away for free? lol._

I would love to hear from ya'll and I hope you enjoy the new installment.

_- CB_


	12. The Cousin Trade Off

Chapter 12: TRADING COUSINS?

**PANSY**

"Do they have anything here that is a little more... emerald?" I asked frustratingly to Millicent and Blaise as I fingered through the dresses inside Madame Malkin's. The three of us have been hovering around the store for the past 15 minutes like a group of Weasleys who simply browse and not shop. And if there is one thing you should know about my friends and I, Its the fact that it has always been a practice of ours to walk into a shop and purchase at least one item. Not because we need it, but because we simply can.

There was only 5 months left until our commencement ceremonies and every girl in Hogwarts was taking advantage of the visit to Hogsmeade to browse for a the best robe they could possibly get. That is, if they could afford the best, ofcourse. But I had more pressing matters in mind than affording the best dress robe. There was absolutely no question that I could. What I could not afford is to walk out of Hogwarts, without a husband or worse, without any money or influence. Most of the 7th year girls in my house were already spoken for, including Blaise and Millicent. How they managed to coax out a proposal from tweedle-dee and tweedle-dum is really quite beyond me.

_**Bloody Traitors. What ever happened to Slytherin women empowerment movement? **_

"This one is particularly popular amongst girls your age." the grossly over-perfumed sales assistant chirped in, breaking my thoughts and holding up a bejewelled, white almost wedding gown-looking dress that was as matronly as anything inside McGonagall's wardrobe closet.

I looked back to both Blaise and Millicent and gave a sigh of defeat before declining the lady's suggestion. It's been a week since the "St. Mungo's Clusterfuck" and it has definitely took its toll on my shopping psyche. Yet instead of receiving any look of empathy, both them were wide-eyeing the white dress like it was the dress of their dreams.

"Oh, that would be perfect for a July Wedding. Vincent and I decided, well actually, more like Mother and I decided that my wedding will be an all white ceremony instead of the standard Green." Millicent crooned, caressing the fabric of the dress.

"Yes, that would be nice, Millie, only this dress is a little bit too small for you but I think I can squeeze into a size 2, right Pansy?" Blaise clutched the dress hard enough, making it known she was not about to let it go to another girl.

_**Yeah. More like a 10.**_

"Go ahead. Just make sure there aren't any mirrors around when the buttons start ricocheting." I said flatly without looking up from the rack that I was browsing. Blaise and Millicent huffed indignantly before letting the saleslady take away the dress.

"I bet she's just jealous because no one has proposed to her yet." Blaise whispered to Millicent, thinking I was far enough not to hear them.

"That's because I didn't jump at the first imbecile that asked." I called out and shot them a death look that made Blaise turn as white as paper. "Unlike you, I actually have choices."

_**Ofcourse, that was a lie since I have managed to scare the living lights out of every boy in the house but its bad enough that Blaise and Millicent was getting more action than I am. My pride is something I needed to preserve--for the time being, at least.**_

When I finally deemed the dress search futile, I randomly picked up a pair of phoenix hair earrings from the accessories aisle and had the sales lady put it in my mother's charge account. I had about 13 pairs of different phoenix-hair earrings but Im sure some unfortunate 3rd year would die to have one of these. Hell be damned if anyone saw me walk out of any store empty handed. Besides, I needed the retail therapy.

After a long run of shopping, Blaise, Millicent and I joined the group of Slytherins that were congregating in one the tables of the Leaky Cauldron, which was completely low-class in every single way but there was no other place that offered a good cold glass of butterbeer.

"So," Isis Firestar was narrating excitedly as I took my seat next to Breanne Devereaux. "My mother rose me earlier than usual and scrambled to find my most presentable dress. I couldn't quite figure out what was going on but the help was all over my room, getting my hair and my clothes done in such a flurry that everything was pretty much a blur. Then, next thing I knew, I was being led down the stairway where I saw Malcolm, his Father and my Father waiting. As soon as I was in front of them, Malcolm opened the black box and flashed me _THIS_." she then proceeded to showing everyone her HUGE canary yellow diamond engagement ring, causing a wave of "ooohs" and "aahhh" around the table.

"Are you mad, Isis. You don't even speak to Malcolm and then all of a sudden you're gonna marry him?" I asked, more disturbed than concerned.

"Ofcourse, Ive spoken with him. Don't be ridiculous, Pansy." Isis brushed me off.

"When?" I challenged, raising one of my eyebrows before taking another sip from my drink.

"I borrowed a quill from him once." she said, almost too proudly.

"_ONCE?!?"_ I nearly choked on my drink upon hearing Isis' ridiculous answer.

"Not everyone can afford to be picky like you, Pansy." Isis said, defensively. "We completely agree that we should be acknowledged as equals to our counterparts but in the end, we all just want to be married."

Right before I could give my response, every single female in the table fell silent for a moment when a tall, auburn-haired boy stood by the entrance, scanning through the crowd then headed towards our table.

"Lady Parkinson," Galen Black said, as he took my hand gave it a tiny kiss. I felt a warm feeling rush from my head down to my brand new French flats.

_**Blimey. **_

I wasn't sure if he caught my mouth drop before retracting them as quickly as I could. He looked even better than the last time I saw him, with his perfectly ironed robe, pristine trousers and slick back hair that emphasized his greenish blue eyes.

"Galen Black," I smiled appreciatively. All of a sudden, all of my anger and confusion just melted away into a mesmerized daze.

"I was around the area with a couple of my friends and I caught wind that you might be here for your school's little field trips so I thought I'd pop in and say hello." Galen explained, smiling at the rest of the girls around the table, acknowledging their presence.

"How did you know we'd be in here? Do you have spy?" I asked Galen, playfully taunting him with my eyes.

_**An actual flirting situation with a male specimen that isn't a member of the imbecile wasteland of Slytherin boys. What do you know, Merlin exists.**_

"Maybe," he chuckled playfully nudging towards Draco, who was sitting on the bar, looking at the opposite direction too intently. "Listen, I unfortunately cannot stay long, but if its not too bold to ask, I would like to take you to dinner sometime."

"Ofcourse." I replied before he took my hand and gave it another small peck before exiting the Leaky Cauldron. " I shall owl you my availability of this week."

**DRACO**

My table, along with rest of the Slytherin house or perhaps even most of Hogwarts, turned amongst each other after watching my cousin, Galen, oh-so-gallantly strode towards Pansy's table and started nibbling on her hand like a pigeon that had not seen bread for a month. A burning feeling started sweeping through my body, as I watch the event unfold.

"Her father must've given that chapmonkey a hefty sum and a bottle of Firewhiskey." Adrian Pucey snorted, taking another gulp from his drink. "A large one at that. Especially if he needs to be able to be brave enough to sit through a dinner date with Parkinson. A lashy tongue, that girl has."

"Thats probably her cousin. She probably begged him to show up and ask her out so she wouldn't be left behind with all the 7th years being proposed to left and right." Flint added insightfully.

"That's not true, actually.," I finally mustered to say finishing off my glass of butterbeer. "He's _MY_ cousin. Quite the docile chap, really. A Black."

"He's perfect for Parkinson then." Crabbe inputted between bites from his Chocolate frog. "She wants a whipping boy to push around. Sure glad it isn't me she has her eye on."

_**I, my friend, feel otherwise. **_

I pressed my knuckles into my closed eyelids, to prevent it from giving away the anger that I felt, despite my stoic reaction. I have but about 5 months to meet my Father's deadline. I am to walk out of Hogwarts, a married and fulfilled man, ready to be presented to society a fully-functional upper class male. A Malfoy, just as my father as others before him. It was the end of my 7th year and girls were practically lining up to get naked in a snap of my fingers but I was completely unimpressed, unchallenged. If I keep this up, my father would surely hand me over to Voldemort, to personally crucify me for my incompetency.

I kept my eye trained on drink a little longer, doing my best not to keep my thoughts lingering on Pansy, the girl I once had but had completely fucked over only last week by attempting to kiss her, is batting her eyelashes at, of all people, my cousin. _**Im finished.**_

"Hey, Handsome." I felt fingers brush up my back then proceeded to play with my nape. The air suddenly filled with sweet, aromatic perfume. The expensive one, the kind that my mother wears. For a split second, I had a quick fantasy that Pansy had a change of heart and wanted me to whisk her off to the sunset then again, Pansy wasnt someone to be whisked away. There's always a fight with Parkinson.

I turned to my side to find, Eunice Hawthorne, grinning like a chesire cat in heat, rounding her finger tips on my hand. Her blonde hair was swept across her face, making her features softer than I remember. She had a faint resemblance to Pansy, only more kept and hollow.

"Hello, Eunice." I smiled back, basking in the fact that Pansy was 20 feet away, glaring at the both of them. I bent over and kissed Eunice on the cheek, only going so much further as to kissing her on the base of her jaw, right below her ear, causing her to giggle.

"You have not responded to any of my owls, Draco. My mother and I have been waiting to have your over for dinner. We have not forgotten, you see." She bent over, giving me a little peek of what was behind her unbuttoned robe. _**Her face might be hollow but I most definitely cant say that about her chest.**_

"I apologize, love. I have been tied up with all my work here at Hogwarts, being Head Boy and Quidditch Captain." I said loudly, making sure Pansy heard every bit of our a conversation. "But I would love to grace you and your mother with your presence. I shall owl you with my preferred time and we shall work around it, shall we?"

"Why, ofcourse, Master Malfoy. Surely, someone as accomplished as you are have a quite a bit of things in your head. " She stood up and lead up against me even closer and draped her hand on my chest, sliding it slowly then looking towards her cousin. "Perhaps, I could give you a little bit of...relief."

I kissed her on the cheek once again and allowed her to rejoin her friends before leaving the Leaky Cauldron.

Author's Notes:

Whoa, didnt that take me forever to update? Pardon the lapse of time, life doesnt seem to allow me to sit down and write.

Any suggestions on how the Disastrous Double-Date Dinner (4Ds?) will happen next chapter?

Lets see how long it takes for me to put the next installment. HAHAHA!

-- CB


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